Up to No Good
by Hot elf
Summary: When Carver Hawke falls in love with Megan Cousland, he doesn't expect to have much of a chance with her. After all, she's Gryffindor's Seeker and one of the most popular girls at Hogwarts. Besides, there's Nathaniel Howe, the mysterious stranger who seems to have his own agenda where Megan is concerned... The Hogwarts AU from "Thirty Times Three" has finally sprouted more chapters
1. Chapter 1

Carver hated Hogwarts. Right from the start. The other kids on the train had made fun of him for being too big and clumsy. The teachers had sighed in resignation when they had heard his name. " _Another_ Hawke!" - as if Revon's many pranks were somehow his fault. And the bloody Sorting Hat put him in _Hufflepuff_. Stupid, boring, useless Hufflepuff. What in Merlin's name had he done to deserve this? Revon hadn't stopped laughing for a whole week.

The first three years at school were a complete nightmare, an endless series of humiliations and frustrations. "Put that away, Carver, you'll only break it." "Merlin, Carver, _anyone_ can do that spell! What are you, a squib?" And, the worst, "Blimey, Revon, are you sure he's really your brother? He must have been adopted." More than once he'd wished he could leave, maybe go to Durmstrang instead. But, of course, his parents wouldn't hear of it.

Then his fourth year started and, to his big surprise, things got… better. It helped that Revon was finally out of the way, after graduating with straight A's and a record number of detentions. It also helped that Carver had grown over the summer and had managed to get a spot on the Hufflepuff Quidditch team as a Beater. But the real change came about when the teams of Hufflepuff and Gryffindor decided to train together and started to hang out after their practice matches. For the first time ever, he was part of a group of friends, automatically invited, made welcome.

And of course, _she_ was there: Megan Cousland, Gryffindor's seeker, fast as lightning on her broom, sweet, sassy, with freckles and strawberry red hair and a ready smile on her face. Everyone wanted to be Megan's friend, but she was never arrogant about it. She had even offered to help Carver with his flying and, when he'd mentioned he had trouble with Charms, she spent an extra hour in the library with him every Wednesday afternoon, practising spells. He felt comfortable with her, happy and relaxed.

Time passed, and she became Head Girl and captain of her team, almost ready to leave school behind. He was still a Sixth Year struggling with coming to terms with his N.E.W.T. course load. They still saw each other every day, still joked and laughed together but secretly, his feelings for her had taken on a whole new dimension. It had never occurred to him that she would be interested in anything more than his friendship, of course. She was a year above him, wildly popular, pretty and smart. And he was still Carver; still a big oaf who blushed when talked to and could never come up with a clever answer. Why would Megan care about him? Even if she'd known how he woke every night, stiff and aching after dreaming of her; even if he ever plucked up the courage to tell her how he felt, the best he could hope for was to be let down gently.

Until she kissed him, after the first match of the season. Gryffindor had beaten Ravenclaw soundly, and they had all partied until late at night, over at the Pitch. He offered to walk back to the Castle with her, just to keep her company. But when they were about to part at the door to the Gryffindor Common Room, she suddenly took hold of his school tie and pulled him close, pressing her sweet lips to his. He was caught completely off guard, but she smelled so good, of rain and wind and butterbeer, and it was like all his dreams were coming true. Before he knew it, he was kissing her back, hungry and greedy, without any subtlety or refinement.

"Merlin, Carver, you've grown up so much." Her voice sounded breathless as she followed the line of his wide shoulders with her fingertips, then arched against him.

A furious blush spread across his cheeks when he realized she could probably feel him, rock hard against her stomach, but she didn't pull away and he kissed her again, groaning into her mouth. His trembling hands tightened around her waist, then slipped under the hem of her shirt, eager to feel her soft skin. She made a small noise in the back of her throat, and then his hands were on her breasts, and her nipples were hard and taut under his palms and he nearly lost it.

Megan pushed him back, but she was panting and there was a smile on her flushed face. "Carver. Let's save some for later, okay?"

He nodded numbly, trying to keep the stupid grin off his face at the thought that there would be a _later_. "Good night, Meggie."

"Good night." She disappeared through the picture frame with a bright smile.

As he walked back to his dorm, his heart was beating wildly. She had kissed him. Him. Carver Hawke.

Hogwarts was the most beautiful place in the world.

* * *

When he came down to breakfast the next morning, the place was in uproar, practically buzzing with excitement. He made his way over to the Hufflepuff table, trying to make sense of the snatches of dialogue he could pick up: "…tried to break into McGonagall's office, apparently…" – "…but how did he even…" – "…should be taken to Azkaban…"

Grabbing a roll and some jam, he sat down and had just opened his mouth to ask for more information when the Headmistress knocked hard on her table, clearing her throat. "You may have heard rumours of a break-in at Hogwarts last night. They are, of course, wildly exaggerated. It's true, though, that a former student of ours was caught, unauthorized, on the premises. I will deal with this incident as I see fit, but I can assure you there is no cause for alarm. Please return to your studies and try to refrain from unnecessary gossip."

Of course, the murmur of voices started up again immediately, despite McGonagall's exhortations. Carver shook his head. _A former student?_ What was going on? Then he saw Megan, huddled up in a corner with Anders and Velanna. She looked pale and when he walked over, giving her a shy grin, her answering smile looked strained.

"Yes, I know him." She was in the middle of talking to Anders. "He was one of Fergus's friends, used to come to our place for the holidays. He seemed okay, though." Megan took a deep breath. "I wonder what McGonagall will do."

"The guy who broke in?" Carver's mouth was dry. "Who is he? And why would he do such a thing?"

"Nathaniel Howe." Megan seemed a little calmer now and, to his great relief, she smiled at him again. "I have no idea, but I'm sure there's a perfectly good explanation."

"Are you?" Anders shrugged, tossing back his hair. "He was a Slytherin, after all."

"Yeah, well, so was Carver's brother," Megan snapped back at him. "Doesn't mean he's a bad guy. Lots of Slytherins turn out perfectly fine."

Carver was about to point out that Revon really wasn't a good example when Velanna spoke up, her pretty face wearing an expression of bored disdain. "But wasn't his father a Death Eater? Rendon Howe? I heard he was You-Know-Who's right hand."

They were interrupted by the bell, but Carver kept thinking back to their conversation all through the morning. Who was this guy? And why was Megan defending him? He got his answer at lunch, when he saw her approach McGonagall's table. The object of their earlier curiosity was there, seated right next to the Headmistress's empty chair. Carver couldn't resist the temptation to hover close by, watching and listening.

Nathaniel Howe looked to be in his twenties, tall and with strong, wide shoulders. His hair was black and lanky, his eyes clear and grey, and he sported a small goatee that drew even more attention to his impressive nose. He looked grumpy but when he raised his head and his eyes fell on Megan, a sudden bright smile lit up his face, transforming it completely.

"Megan! I haven't seen you in ages!" To Carver's shocked surprise, he pulled her into a brief hug that left her flushed with excitement. "Merlin, you have become even prettier than you used to be."

"Nate." Megan seemed unusually shy. "What-"

"Later. I'll explain, I promise." Nathaniel smiled at her again, and Carver noticed he had taken hold of her hand. "I'll find you and we can have a nice long chat. But the Headmistress wants to talk to me first and besides, I believe someone's waiting for you." He indicated Carver with a brief tilt of his head.

Megan turned to follow his gaze, then withdrew her hand slowly. "Carver. Yes. You're right." She hesitated, though, before she left Nathaniel's side. "Promise?"

"Of course." He flashed another smile at her, then swivelled around to face Carver, and – w _as that a wink?_ Carver had a hard time hiding his confusion as he left the room, Megan in tow.

* * *

"Mr Howe." McGonagall regally inclined her head in his direction. "Please take a seat. What an unfortunate incident."

Nathaniel obeyed without a word. He had always had a huge amount of respect for the formidable headmistress, and being back here, at school, automatically made him feel like a delinquent student again. She didn't speak right away, just sat there and watched him for a while.

He waited patiently, until she finally raised her voice again. "I remember you well, Nathaniel. You were a talented student. Weren't you headed for auror training?"

"Yes, Headmistress. I'm almost fully qualified now." He cleared his throat. "Or I was."

"Hm." McGonagall shook her head. "You and Fergus Cousland were friends, if I recall correctly. Which is unusual for a Slytherin and a Gryffindor."

"Our families go way back." Nathaniel picked his words carefully. "Fergus' dad and my father used to work together, before-" He broke off.

"Before your father joined Lord Voldemort." McGonagall clearly wasn't in the mood for mercy. "Look, Nathaniel. I will be honest with you. There are two things I want to know from you, before I decide on what to do with you. One, how did you get into the castle? That should have been impossible." She looked genuinely offended. "And two, why did you do it? Why didn't you just come here in plain daylight and ask for what you wanted? Well?"

"It's not that easy." Nathaniel sighed, but he already knew he had no choice but to come clear. "One of my father's friends…"

"Who?" Damn it, he should have known McGonagall would insist on the name.

"Vaughn, from the Department of Mysteries." Clenching his teeth, Nathaniel continued. "He said there was a way to clear my father's name. A memory belonging to the Dark- to Voldemort, that Dumbledore got hold of and kept here, in his office. According to Vaughn, it would show that my father didn't join of his own free will, that he was forced. He told me where to find it, but I knew you would never let me see it."

"And why would you think that?" McGonagall's face had softened the tiniest bit. "You have every right to see a memory pertaining to your father. Though I'm afraid you might be disappointed."

Nathaniel couldn't stop his head from snapping up at her words. The second half of her statement barely registered with him. "So you would let me have a look? Even now?"

She didn't reply, just got to her feet, and motioned for him to follow her over to the pensieve, kept in a cabinet behind closed doors, just as Vaughn had described. It took them a while to find the right vial among the many memories Dumbledore and his predecessors had collected, and while they were looking, Nathaniel chanced a quick look up at the old headmaster's portrait. But Dumbledore appeared fast asleep.

"Here it is." McGonagall handed him the vial. "Go ahead."

Ten minutes later, Nathaniel was back in his chair behind her desk, feeling numb and worn out. The memory had been genuine, he was sure of it. Seeing his father strut around the old manor, he had immediately been swamped by a host of feelings he'd thought he'd left behind. Fear, sadness, a desperate wish to please the old man. But at the same time, he'd felt what Voldemort was feeling, and that had been… unsettling, to say the least. He shuddered.

"It's not a pleasant feeling, is it, Mr Howe? Being inside his head?" McGonagall sounded almost gentle. "I am sorry."

"Don't be." He raised his head, meeting her gaze. "I should have known. You did, didn't you?"

"I was familiar with that particular memory, yes." McGonagall looked sad. "But I thought it would be better to let you see for yourself."

Nathaniel nodded. Some part of him had always known, but it still had hurt to see his father, so eager to abase himself before Voldemort, so ready to sell his own friends and family for a top rank among the Death Eaters. There had been no extortion, no threats. They hadn't been necessary. Rendon Howe had _wanted_ this, with all his heart.

"I do apologize, Headmistress." He got to his feet. "And I fully understand if you decide to turn me over to the authorities. The whole thing was foolish of me, but I'd hoped-"

"Not so fast, young man." McGonagall motioned for him to sit down again. "Hope is never foolish. And I can handle this perfectly well on my own, without resorting to the help of the _authorities_." She snorted contemptuously. "You have seen the memory, and I believe there's no further need for punishment. However, you still haven't answered my first question. How did you get into the castle?"

"Oh, that?" Despite his morose mood, Nathaniel couldn't quite stop himself from smiling. "I had help from one of the portraits. Lady Monaghan."

"Old Monaghan, just around the corner from my office?" The corners of McGonagall's mouth twitched a little. "I am not surprised. She always had a soft spot for good-looking young men."

Nathaniel almost blushed. "Yeah, well… We have a picture of her at home, in our library, so I've known her since I was a boy. I only had to ask." He shrugged. "There's a secret cabinet hidden behind her portrait, with its own fireplace. If you know how to ask, you can just floo in. I knew the alarms would go off the moment I left the room, but I figured I could make it to your office before I got caught."

"And you clearly did not waste a thought on what would happen next." McGonagall shook her head in disapproval. "You will have to do better if you want to be an auror, Mr Howe."

"So you'd really let me go?" He couldn't believe his luck. "I… I don't know what to say."

"Then don't say anything at all." Her tone was dry. "In any case, I am grateful to you for exposing such a blatant gap in our security. Lady Monaghan will answer to me, and we will have to see about Vaughn, of course. He must have had some ulterior motive. Anyway, I hope you have learned from the whole affair."

Nathaniel nodded soberly. "I have. I promise."

"Well, then… You're free to go." McGonagall's expression was almost motherly now. "Unless you want to stay for dinner?"

* * *

 _Huggles and thanks to my awesome beta suilven.  
_


	2. Chapter 2

"And that's why I came here," Nathaniel finished his tale, looking mildly embarrassed. "Stupid, really."

"Not at all!" Megan protested. "I would have done the same in your place."

Megan was sincerely glad the headmistress had been so understanding. Until Nathaniel had showed up at the Quidditch pitch late in the afternoon, she had been worried sick about him, secretly half convinced that he was already on his way to Azkaban. But apparently, he had been forgiven, and he hadn't forgotten his promise to get back to her.

He had taken her for a walk around the lake, to a pretty little spot far from prying eyes, where they had spent almost an hour talking and catching up. Megan hadn't seen him in ages, and Fergus hadn't been particularly forthcoming with news about his friend's activities. But Megan had always liked Nathaniel. Well, _liked_ was probably an understatement. _Massive crush_ would be more accurate.

"So… You're leaving tonight?" Against all reason, she wished fervently that he would say no.

But he nodded calmly. "Right after dinner."

"Such a pity." Megan bit her lip. "Look, I'm sorry it all turned out so horribly for you, but it was great to see you again. I... I'm glad you showed up here."

"So am I. I've missed you, you know." His tone was light, but she realized his eyes were firmly fixed on her mouth, and that fact did interesting things to her insides.

"Have you?" She swallowed. So he _had_ been thinking about her, too. And the look on his face, so firmly focussed… Was she just imagining things? "That's nice." _Wow. Smooth._

He must have realized she'd noticed him staring, because he finally tore away his eyes from her mouth, shaking his head with a slightly forced laugh. "Merlin. Maybe it was a bad idea to take you out here."

"I don't understand." Megan felt slightly irritated at this back and forth. "Why?"

"It's just…" Nathaniel hesitated, but then he looked at her again, and this time he met her gaze without flinching. Cupping her face carefully with his hand, he brushed his thumb over her lower lip, as if he wanted to soothe the sting from her bite. "You're so lovely, Meg. So sweet. And being out here with you, all alone… it makes it much harder to do the right thing."

Her heart was racing. "Well, maybe I don't want you to do the right thing." Gathering all her courage, she opened her mouth a little and flicked her tongue against his finger. He responded with a rough groan that went straight to her core. "Maybe we could-"

But much to her disappointment, he pulled back his hand and shook his head. "No. I may have done a few stupid things in my life, but there are some lines I'm not willing to cross, Megan. You're still at school, and-"

"I'm of age!" She didn't bother to hide the indignation in her voice. "I'm not a child, Nate! I've had plenty of boyfriends, and I know what I'm doing." Well, that last bit might have been a bit exaggerated. Megan had gone out with a few boys, but they hadn't really done all that much so far. Still, she wasn't about to admit that now.

"I'm sure you do." Nathaniel didn't look shocked, just mildly amused, which was worse. "But really, Megan. It wouldn't be right, and you know it."

"Not even one kiss?" She pouted at him, pleased to see his hand clench into a fist, as he fought the temptation.

"And do you honestly think we'd stop at one kiss?" There was a hoarseness to his voice that sent shivers down her spine. "No. I'm leaving tonight, Megan, and that's for the best. Maybe once you've finished school, grown up a little…" He ignored her angry snort. "Come on. There must be plenty of guys your own age around here who are dying to be with you. What about that cute guy at lunch today? You like him, don't you?"

"Carver? Yeah, I do." Against her will, Megan smiled at the memory of kissing Carver last night. Had that really only been last night? "He _is_ cute, isn't he?"

"Very." Nathaniel's grin was decidedly predatory. "Cute _and_ hot."

 _Oh_. She hadn't expected _that_. Suddenly, some of Fergus's remarks about Nathaniel's adventurousness took on a whole new meaning. Shaking the thought off, Megan met his gaze. "All right. I'll be good."

"Glad to hear it." Nathaniel smiled at her, but he still looked a little tense. "Let's head back to the castle now. It's almost dinner time."

* * *

Carver didn't see much of Megan during the next few days, and he was beginning to fear that he had just imagined the kiss. Besides, he was worried about her and that Howe guy. Megan had seemed quite smitten with him, and even if he'd left now… Carver didn't see how he could compete with a dark and mysterious stranger.

Night after night, he went to bed, vacillating between arousal and concern, his own hand no longer quite enough to make him relax. In class, he had trouble focusing on his lessons. He lived for the brief moments when Megan flashed a smile at him across the Great Hall or winked at him from behind her stack of books in the library.

Then, finally, it was Saturday, and they met for Quidditch practice. It was exhilarating to be out on a broom again, even though it was raining hard. Clearly, summer was over, and they would have to get used to freezing cold hands and damp robes again. Still, he hadn't felt so alive in days, and when they finally called it a day, he was buzzing all over.

"Hey." Just as he was about to enter the changing rooms, Megan was at his side. "Wait for me afterwards, okay? I've got something I want to show you."

"Sure." Carver's mind was racing while he took a hot shower and dried himself off. Something she wanted to show him… He had no idea what she was talking about.

Yet, he lingered, until the others had all gone back to the castle, and then he waited a few more minutes before he headed for the girls' changing room. Megan was waiting for him at the door, taking his hand and pulling him over to the little shed where they kept their equipment.

"Come on. It's not far." She sounded giddy.

Carver followed her eagerly inside and to the back of the shed, where she pushed aside a few boxes to produce a ladder. "Here." She pointed upwards, and for the first time ever, he noticed a hatch in the ceiling. "There's a storage space up there. Come on." She was on her way up before she could finish her sentence, leaving him no choice but to follow her.

When he arrived at the top of the ladder, he whistled softly. The little attic room was warm and cosy, with the rain pattering down on the roof drowning out all outside noise. Someone had dragged a big, comfy mattress up here that covered nearly all of the floor, and there was a lantern, as well as a well-filled food stash in the corner, and some blankets. Carver felt his ears warm up. Clearly, they were not the first to use this room for a little privacy.

"Wow." He swallowed hard. "How come you know about this?"

"Remember last year, when I went out with Cailan for a while?" Megan grinned. "He took me up here. None of the teachers know about it, apparently, or if they do, they turn a blind eye. Not many students are in on the secret either. If we pull up the ladder, no one will disturb us."

"Right." Carver wasn't sure how he felt about being reminded of her former boyfriends, but he had to admit this was nice. He wasn't sure about the etiquette for such occasions, though. He could hardly just grab her and kiss her, could he?

Megan seemed to have no such qualms. Stretching out on the mattress, she extended a hand to pull him down next to her. "Carver. That was some impressive flying out there today."

"Thank you." He smiled shyly at her, and then, because she was looking at him expectantly, he leaned in for a kiss.

When his lips touched hers, Megan made a small, appreciative noise, and suddenly her hand was on the back of his head, pulling him closer. And Merlin, she tasted so good, and her lips opened willingly under his, and before he knew it, he was lost completely in her warm mouth. He had no idea how long the kiss lasted, no idea what exactly he was doing. He just kept following his instincts, which had served him well so far.

When he finally pulled back, Megan's eyes looked huge in the dim light. "More." She sounded breathless. "Please."

And again, he dove in, sucking her lip between his teeth like he'd seen people do in Muggle movies, exploring her mouth greedily, and she was just as eager, just as hungry as he was. And he needed more, too, he wanted to feel her, touch her, skin on skin. Blindly, he groped for the buttons of her blouse, but her hand was already there, opening them for him. And when he pulled back, he saw that she was wearing nothing at all underneath, and the sight of her breasts, small and perky, with taut, coral-red nipples, nearly drove him mad with want.

"Damn it, Megan." It was an effort to hold back, but he didn't want to ruin this by being too pushy. "Can I-"

"Of course." She made a small mewling noise, when his fingers grazed her breasts. "Anything you want."

Anything he wanted? Carver nearly lost the ability to breathe, because he wanted all of her, right now, and his cock was so hard he thought he would burst any moment now. He had no idea where to start, with all this creamy, soft skin on display for him, but then he forced himself to focus. Those nipples were calling out to him, and with a happy sigh, he bent down and fastened his mouth around one of them, sucking gently.

Megan cried out, and moments later, her hands were on him, pushing up his T-shirt so she could get her hands on his bare skin, and it felt so good, so incredibly hot. He pulled away just long enough to wiggle out of the shirt, and then he was back, licking her skin, kneading her breasts softly, utterly enchanted with her reactions.

"Oh Merlin, Carver, I-" Megan sounded feverish. "I need..."

Taking his hand, she guided it under her skirt, up her soft thighs and between her legs. Her panties were soaked through, clinging to her flesh, and her scent went right to his head, taking away the rest of his control. He simply had to feel her, he couldn't wait a moment longer, so he pushed the fabric aside, and once again, Megan cried out.

"Don't stop, please." Her hand was on his again, and she was hot and slick and Carver knew he was moments from coming himself, but he didn't care.

Because now she was pushing one of his fingers deep inside her heat, and it felt like nothing else in the world, so incredibly good and tight and hot. He stopped again, unsure of how to proceed, until Megan took hold of his thumb and showed him how to move it, how she needed to be touched. He did his best to follow, watching her eagerly to make sure he was doing it right. Megan was moaning unrestrainedly now, and the look on her face sent his own arousal spiralling even higher. Before he knew it, he felt her clench hard around his hand, shivering and gasping, and it was so beautiful, so utterly exciting. Moaning, he ground hard against her thigh, just once, and the world went white.

When he came to his senses, Megan was still whimpering and writhing in his arms, her eyes closed and her mouth half open. Slowly, he stroked her through the last waves of her climax, ignoring the mess in his own pants, until her breathing had calmed down a little.

"Hey." She glanced up at him from under her lashes, blushing slightly. "Thank you."

"No, thank _you_." He cleared his throat. "That was awesome."

"Yeah." Her hand travelled up his thigh. "Want me to-"

"No need." It was his turn to blush. "I…"

"Oh." Megan's smile was so sweet that it made him immediately feel better. "Well, never mind. But next time…" She arched up against him, making him shiver. "Next time I want to feel you. I want to get my hands on you. Okay?"

"Sure," he croaked, because even the mere thought of her hands wrapped around his cock made his throat contract painfully. _So hot._

"Great." Megan stretched voluptuously, and then, much to his regret, began to button her blouse again. "It's getting late. We'd better head back. You coming?"

Carver nodded and reached for his shirt. _Though I should probably have another shower first._ His hands were shaking as he pulled on his clothes. _Next time…_ He wasn't sure how he was supposed to wait until then.

* * *

By the time Megan had descended the steps from the Owlery, she had already torn the envelope open and was busy reading Fergus's latest letter. She had written to him immediately after Nathaniel's departure and asked him to check in with his friend. Now, she was eager to read about his take on the whole thing.

The letter was a disappointment, of course. Apparently, Fergus had gone out for drinks with Nathaniel, and they had "talked", but he didn't give any details. Instead, he went on for almost half a page about his new girlfriend and her many virtues. Cursing under her breath, Megan stuffed the letter into her pocket.

 _Ah, well._ Maybe it really was better this way. Nathaniel was back in London, and no doubt he was busy with work and who knew what else, while she was stuck up here at Hogwarts for another year. No, that wasn't fair. Megan shook her head at her own thoughts. She loved her school, and she loved being with her friends. There was no reason at all to mope about a guy who had probably already forgotten her.

Besides, Carver was here, and he was rapidly becoming more than just a pleasant distraction. Even now, Megan shivered pleasantly at the memory of their time together at the Quidditch shed. Carver didn't appear to have a lot of experience, but Merlin, that body of his! And those lovely brown eyes – so warm and so sweet. Besides, he'd seemed eager enough to learn what she liked. Really, she was a lucky girl, all things considered.

"Meg! Where have you been? We're going to be late for Arithmancy." And here was Anders, smiling at her, pushing a sandwich into her hand. "I didn't see you at lunch, so I figured you were too busy to eat."

"Thank you!" Gratefully, she took a large bite. Ham and cheese, her favourite. Anders _was_ a sweetheart. "Right. Off we go."

Grabbing her satchel tightly, she followed him through the corridors, shoving a bunch of wide-eyed first-years out of the way. Above their heads, Peeves was screaming blue murder, and through the open door of the Charms classroom, Professor Flitwick's high voice could be heard, patiently explaining a spell.

 _Just another day at Hogwarts_. Megan smiled happily. Right now, there was no place she'd rather be.

* * *

 _All the hugs to suilven, my wonderful beta.  
_


	3. Chapter 3

"Shit, I'm late." Megan jumped to her feet and almost knocked over her chair. Smiling apologetically at Madam Pince, she bent down to breathe a quick kiss against Carver's cheek. "See you later."

Half-dazed, he watched her leave, then returned his attention to his Transfiguration homework. Really, he had no idea what had possessed him to pick it as one of his N.E.W.T. subjects. He had just about been able to follow the lessons in his fifth year – now he was lucky if he understood half the words in Professor Scaife's instructions.

Sighing deeply, he tried to focus, but before he could resume writing, someone plopped into the chair next to him, recently vacated by Megan. A quick sideways glance told him it was Anders. _Great_. Carver tried to ignore him, but it was no use.

"So… You and Megan?" Anders elbowed him in the ribs with a wide grin. "I guess it's official now, eh?"

"Whatever." Carver felt his ears heat up. "Why, do you have a problem with it?"

"Nah." Anders leaned back in his chair with a relaxed air. "You're better than most of the guys she's hung out with so far. That Cailan guy was the worst. Tried to punch me when I hugged her, because he thought it would turn her on if he acted all protective." Anders shook his head. "Big mistake."

"Right." Carver cleared his throat. He still had trouble understanding what Anders was getting at. "You and Megan are just friends, right?"

"Yup." Anders' grin grew even wider. "Megan is cute, but she doesn't really have the right equipment to tempt me, if you catch my meaning."

"You mean… Oh." Carver was sure he was full-on blushing now. "I'm sorry. I didn't realize-"

"And why would you? It's not as if I go around telling everyone." Anders' smile wavered a little. "Some of the guys from the older wizarding families can be a bit weird about it. But hey, if Megan likes you, good for you. Mind you, she's always gone for the big and beefy ones."

"I'm not _beefy_ ," Carver protested, a tad too loudly, which earned him a strict glare from Madam Pince.

"No offense intended." Anders raised both hands in a pacifying gesture. "You have to admit that academic work isn't your strong suit, right?" Bending over Carver's roll of parchment, he made a big show of reading what Carver had written so far, then he sighed theatrically. "No, but really… Carver, do you even have the faintest idea what this is about?"

"Not really, no." The blush seemed to have become permanent. "I thought-"

"Well, if you use _that_ spell combination…" Anders pointed at his second paragraph. "You'll end up with a corpse on your hands, most likely. Or maybe a very angry centaur. Here, let me explain."

And much to Carver's surprise, he proceeded to do just that, patiently and without any more snide remarks. Anders was _good_ at this, Carver realized, a born teacher, not just clever, but also able to break down complicated stuff into manageable chunks. When he finished, Carver felt exhausted, but for the first time in months, he had an inkling of what the lesson had been about.

"Thank you, Anders." He rubbed his eyes, suppressing a yawn. "That was a big help, actually."

"Of course it was." Anders shrugged gracefully. "And tell you what, I'm feeling generous today. You… How can I put this? You haven't really got much experience with girls, have you?"

"I…" _Oh, sod it_. Carver knew he wouldn't be able to fool Anders. "No. I haven't got a clue, really. But-" He really didn't want tips from Anders on _that_ topic, especially if-

"Knew it." Anders looked smug. "And you're not allowed in the restricted section either, at least not without a teacher's note, because you're not a prefect. Well, luckily for you, I am." He pointed to the Ravenclaw badge on his lapel. "Give me a moment, and I'll find you some books. Don't worry, I'll pick some with pictures in them."

"What kind of books? Anders?" But it was too late. Anders was well on his way to the back of the library already. Carver sat back with a groan, so embarrassed he couldn't see straight. _Books with pictures in them._ _Merlin_. How was he ever going to look Anders in the face again?

* * *

Megan had never really been too enthusiastic about making out in public. It had always seemed more like showing off to her, and though she'd had a number of boyfriends, none of them had been so irresistible that she'd found it impossible to wait until they were alone.

Yet here she was, in a quiet corner near the Potions classroom, pressed up against Carver's hard, muscular body, kissing him like there was no tomorrow. His hands were already sneaking under her shirt again, trying to find bare skin, and she really ought to stop him before somebody saw them, but Merlin, it felt so _good_.

"Damn it, Megan." When they paused for air, he was trembling and looking all kinds of delectable, his hair mussed up, and his lips red from kissing. "You're killing me."

"Yeah? You feel very much alive to me." Grinning, she pressed the heel of her hand against his crotch, revelling in his sharp intake of breath.

It was utterly exciting to feel him through the fabric of his jeans, thick and hard and hot, but at the same time it wasn't nearly enough. They had planned to meet again after Quidditch practice on Saturday, but Megan knew with sudden clarity that there was no way she could wait that long. She _needed_ to touch him, she needed to see him, or she would go mad.

"Carver?" Slowly, she ran her hand up and down, and he moaned helplessly. "Can we… Let's meet tonight, at the shed. Please."

"Yeah. Sure." He tried to smile, but he was clearly struggling for control. "Megan, please, I can't-"

"Sorry." Taking pity on him, she pulled away her hand and took a step backward, carefully shielding him with her body until he had rearranged his robes. "See you tonight then. Seven-ish?"

He nodded feverishly. "All right."

She ran into Velanna on her way out to the Quidditch pitch, and it took a while to get rid of her, so when Megan arrived at their hideout, Carver was already waiting for her. He had taken off his robes and was wearing only jeans and a tight white T-shirt, and Megan nearly moaned at the sight of his bare arms, straining against the thin fabric. Suddenly, she couldn't bear to wait a moment longer. They could talk later. There was no way she could keep her hands off him any longer.

"Hey." She knelt down next to him on the mattress and ran a hand along his biceps. "You know, those are _nice_. How come you're in such good shape?"

He shrugged, but he looked pleased. "I do weights three times a week, together with Oghren." Oghren was Hufflepuff's second beater, a short, stocky guy with red hair. "It's fun."

"Is it?" Megan made a face. "Forgive me if I'm not convinced. But I _do_ appreciate the results." She tugged at the hem of the shirt. "Take it off. Let me see more of you."

"As you wish." Carver's smile was a tad smug as he slowly pulled the T-shirt over his head, baring his torso.

 _Well, he has reason to be proud_. With a happy sigh, Megan stretched out next to him to trace the muscles in his chest and stomach. His nipples were flat and dark, and when she touched them, they grew even harder. _So lovely_. "Your jeans, too."

But when she reached out for his belt, he stopped her with a hand on her wrist. "Nope. Not fair. Your shirt first."

"Okay." For a heartbeat, she felt self-conscious, because he was watching her so intently, but then she took a deep breath and pulled the shirt over her head.

Megan hadn't bothered with a bra, as usual, and Carver's reaction to her bare breasts was everything she could have hoped for. Before she knew it, he had pulled her close, holding her tight and kissing her hard, and it felt so amazing.

Carver was hot, burning hot, and his skin was smooth and soft, a lovely shade of golden brown that formed a stark contrast to her own paleness. Pulling back a little, she reached for the buttons of his jeans again, determined not to be distracted again. He kept very still while she undressed him, but his eyes never left her hands, and the muscles in his stomach were rippling, as if he had trouble holding back. And then the jeans came off, and she could see almost all of him through the thin fabric of his briefs.

Megan hesitated. She'd never gone quite as far with any of her other boyfriends. Kissing, yes, and touching through clothes and above the waistline, but this was out of her comfort zone. And yet, she wanted it so badly. She was curious, if nothing else, and Carver was exciting, and so very sweet at the same time.

"Are you okay?" Carver sounded worried, and she shook her head, eager to reassure him.

"I'm fine. Just… trying to work out what to do next." She was surprised at her own honesty. She'd planned on being confident and sure of herself, but now…

"You don't have to do anything." Carver sounded adorably earnest, but at the same time there was no mistaking the pleading look in his eyes.

"But I want to." Taking a deep breath, she hooked her fingers into the elastic of his briefs and pulled them down.

Carver hissed sharply, as his cock sprang free, and Megan swallowed hard. Before she had time to think, she took hold of him, stroking him tentatively.

"Meg." He stared down at her hand, his expression intense. "Yes. That feels good."

"Glad to hear it," Megan quipped. She was more nervous than she let on.

Carefully, she ran her hand up and down, admiring the velvet softness of his skin. He was hot here, too, hot and hard, and she liked that, liked how he twitched in her grip when she tightened it. Experimentally, she let her hand trail further back, tugging gently on his balls, and he moaned, deep in his throat. Intrigued, she explored further, finding a spot of incredibly soft skin that made him shudder all over when she caressed it.

"Megan, please." He was growing the tiniest bit impatient, taking her hand and moulding it around his cock, thrusting into her fist.

"Like this?" Carefully, she tightened her grip a little, and he moaned happily.

"Yeah, just like that. Just… Oh Merlin!" Carver was panting hard. "Please don't stop."

"I won't. No worries." She felt a little more confident now, enthralled by his reaction. "Just tell me if I'm doing something wrong."

"You're doing everything right." He laughed breathlessly. "Just… More, please?"

"Sure." And now she really set to it, giving him her undivided attention.

It took her a moment to find the right rhythm, but when she'd finally worked it out, his moans grew exponentially louder and more urgent. And then, just when her wrist began to ache, he went taut all over and came, in thick white streaks, all over his stomach, and Merlin, it was the hottest thing ever.

When Carver finally opened his eyes again, he blushed fiercely at the sight of the mess he'd made. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be." She looked around for something to clean him up with. "Damn it, how-"

"There's a box of tissues behind the mattress." His voice was shaky. "Just give it to me."

Quickly, he wiped himself clean, then gave her a shy look. "What about you?"

"I don't know." She put on her most provocative grin. "Any ideas?"

"Oh yes." Clearly, Carver didn't have to be asked twice.

Already he was on her, his warm lips locked around her nipple, and Megan whined, because it felt so _good_. He took his time with her breasts, licking and suckling, until she was ready to beg for more.

"Carver, please." She wasn't sure how to tell him. "Please, I-"

"Shhh." He pulled her into another kiss. "We need to get you out of those first." He ran a finger along the waistline of her pants. "Damn it. Skirts are easier."

"True." She reached for the zipper. "It's getting too cold for skirts, though."

"Such a pity." Pulling back a little, he waited patiently, while she wiggled out of her clothes.

"So… About those _ideas_ of yours…" She had meant to tease him, but the moment her pants and underwear came off, he was back, sliding a hand between her legs and _touching_ her, light as a feather, and she completely forgot what she'd meant to say.

Eagerly, she moved into his touch, but he pulled back a little, clearing his throat. "Can I… Can I look? It's just… I think it would be easier if-"

"Oh? Yeah, sure." Megan was proud of herself for making it sound as if it was no big deal, but her face felt distinctly hot, and when he slid lower between her legs to look his fill, she felt terribly self-conscious.

But before she could worry too much, he was kissing her deeply again, while his fingers danced across her flesh, a lot more confidently now. His mouth was back on her breasts, soft and sweet, and now he was pushing one finger deep inside her, and she was rapidly losing the ability to think clearly. All she knew was that it felt good, so mind-blowingly good, and she needed just a little more, just one touch, just- _Oh, Merlin, yes!_

The rush of pleasure was so overwhelming that Megan actually lost track of her surroundings for a moment. When she came to her senses again, Carver was holding her tight, kissing her hair, and she was still trembling like a leaf.

"You okay?" There was pride in his voice, and just a hint of concern, and she felt so safe with him.

"Never been better." She was shivering a little, though, and when he noticed, he spread a blanket over both of them.

And that, too, was nice, snuggling up with him under the cover, even though they were both sweaty and sticky. They couldn't really afford to stay much longer either, if they didn't want any trouble, but Megan couldn't bring herself to get up and get dressed, not yet. In fact, it was a good long while until she even felt the need to talk again.

"So… Are you going home for Christmas?" It was only a month or so until the holidays, and Megan suddenly realized she would miss him.

"Yeah. My mum wants all the family there. Revon, too." Carver sounded less than enthusiastic, and she remembered that he and his brother weren't on the best of terms. "What about you?"

"Same." Megan smiled against his shoulder. "We'll spend Christmas at my parents' place, all of us. And afterwards, Fergus has invited me to come to London for New Year's Eve." That was the part she was looking forward to the most.

"That sounds nice." Gently freeing himself from her embrace, Carver sat up and yawned. "I don't want to go, Meg, but Professor Sprout is going to have my head if I'm late." He reached for his clothes with an apologetic smile.

"Well, then…" Sighing, Megan followed his examples. "Let's head back."

* * *

"Well, will you look at this?" Revon walked into the kitchen with a wide grin, waving a sheet of parchment at Carver. "Our little Carver got himself a girl."

Carver's head flew up. "What-"

"Oooooh, and she misses him so much." Revon blew an exaggerated kiss at Carver, even as he kept reading. " _Can't wait to see you again_. How sweet! Puppy love!"

"Give me my letter!" Carver tried not to let on how furious he really was.

It would only provoke his brother further. Revon thrived on opportunities to torment Carver, always had. And Carver knew well enough that he didn't stand a chance in a direct confrontation, no matter how mad his brother's condescending tone drove him. _Puppy love, indeed_. If Revon knew… At the same time, Carver was sincerely grateful that Megan hadn't written anything more explicit.

"Ah, but this is fascinating!" Revon gave him a look of wide-eyes innocence. "I never thought anybody would be interested in you, to be honest. Let me see, who-"

Fortunately, their mother picked this moment to walk into the kitchen and Carver took advantage of her presence to reiterate his demand. "Can I have my letter, please, Revon?"

"Of course." Revon handed him the parchment without a moment's hesitation, tilting his head charmingly at his mother, as if he was confiding a big secret. "Just imagine, mum, Carver's getting _love_ letters."

Carver could have killed him, but he had to content himself with a glare.

Predictably, their mother immediately took the bait. "Carver!" She beamed at him. "I didn't know you had a _girlfriend_. Why didn't you say so? We could have invited her over."

"Right." Revon's smile was angelic. "I would _so_ love to meet her. You really should have introduced her to mum already, you know."

Carver muttered something unintelligible, mentally drowning out his mum's excited chatter. At least he had the letter now. Clutching it tightly, he wondered when he would have a moment to himself to read it.

He missed Megan so very much.

* * *

 _Huggles and thanks to my wonderful beta suilven!_


	4. Chapter 4

Megan couldn't get enough of the magical fireworks. She had never spent New Year's Eve in London before, and not even Fergus' enthusiastic descriptions could have prepared her for the reality of it: sparks raining from the sky in ever-changing patterns; little fiery dragons chasing each other over the rooftops of Diagon Alley; fountains of fire erupting from chimneys and lighting up the night in brilliant colours. It was amazing, and they had such a good view from the balcony of the flat Fergus and Orana had rented.

Everyone else had long since gone inside, but Megan was still out there, drinking in the view, even though she'd begun to shiver in her little black dress. But she didn't care. It was totally worth it.

"Meg. There you are." Oh! That was unmistakably Nathaniel's voice, hoarse and rough, and it sent a pleasant shiver all the way down her spine.

And here he was, right behind her, standing in the doorway and looking all kinds of delectable in his tight black jeans and dark shirt. Megan swallowed hard. He had avoided her for most of the evening, except for a brief, perfunctory greeting, and she'd been unsure of what to make of his apparent lack of interest.

"You look amazing." His eyes were roving up and down her body, and no, definitely no lack of interest there. "Want some champagne?" He offered her one of the two glasses he was carrying.

"Thank you." She smiled at him as she took the drink from his hands. "Glad you like my dress."

Fergus had been less than happy with her choice of attire, a tight, lacy number that showed off her curves and left most of her back bare. But she knew she looked good in it. And clearly, Nathaniel thought the same.

"It's gorgeous." He cleared his throat. "But aren't you freezing?"

Taking one step closer, he placed his free hand on her back, as if to check whether she was cold. His hand was warm, and his grip firm and assured.

"I'm fine." Megan's voice sounded weird, even to herself, though, and somehow, she was struggling for breath.

For a heartbeat, his grip tightened on her back, but then he visibly forced himself to relax, raising his glass. "Happy New Year."

He took a deep sip from his drink, and Megan followed his example, making a face when the bubbly champagne tickled her nose. Champagne really wasn't her drink of choice.

"What's the matter?" Nathaniel laughed softly. "Don't like it?" He took another deep draught, emptying his glass. Probably not his first, either. When he put the glass down on the window sill, his hands were the teeniest bit unsteady.

"It's okay," she lied. "Happy New Year to you, too." She tossed back her head and shook out her hair, the way she'd seen Orana do it earlier, when she'd tried to catch Fergus' attention.

And it worked like a charm. "Megan…" Nathaniel's eyes went dark. "Damn it, you-"

He groaned, deep in his throat, and suddenly, his mouth was on hers, claiming her lips in a fierce, greedy kiss. And Megan completely lost the ability to think. No one had ever kissed her like this, so hard and demanding, so full of undisguised, unabashed _hunger_. She opened up without hesitation, allowing him to take what he wanted from her, not caring if anyone saw them. All she knew was that she could _feel_ his kiss all the way through her body, every nerve lighting up, every cell tingling with want.

When Nathaniel finally pulled back, panting hard, she realized that his hand was on her breast, kneading softly, and her nipples were hard enough to show through the thin fabric. And Merlin, she was wet, wet and throbbing, just from the one kiss, and if he'd wanted her right here and now, she wouldn't have objected.

Nathaniel withdrew his hand, slowly, as if it was a huge effort, and then he let go of her body, stepping back to bring some distance between them. "Fuck, Meg, we can't. You have a boyfriend, and-"

"I don't care!" Megan raised her chin, trembling with determination.

Except, yes, she did, of course she did, and the mere thought of Carver was like an ice-cold shower. If he'd seen her just now, if he'd heard her moan… Megan liked Carver, and the last thing she wanted was to hurt him. But at the same time she _wanted_ Nate, wanted them to go back to kissing and touching, wanted him to make love to her. She wanted it with an intensity that frightened her. _Shit. What's wrong with me?_

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have-" Nathaniel shook his head. "Come on, now. Fergus will be wondering where you are. We need to get back to the others."

Megan nodded and followed him inside. _Yes_. With other people around, they'd be safe. She really didn't trust herself if she was alone with him.

* * *

Carver was in heaven. Or at least as close to it as he was ever likely to get. For almost two weeks, he'd suffered through his brother's constant stream of taunts and barbs; for two weeks he'd tossed and turned in his bed at night, tormented by dreams of Megan's eyes, Megan's lips, Megan's breasts. And now here she was, in his arms again, kissing him, and he was happier than he'd ever been.

"Carver." Megan's body felt so good against his, trim and taut and warm, and her lips tasted of honey and strawberries and everything good. "Yes. Merlin, I've missed you."

They had snuck off right after dinner, as soon as McGonagall had let them off the hook, and found a quiet corner near the Hufflepuff Common Room. And here they were, and it was so _good_ , kissing her, hearing her gasps and sighs, but at the same time, it wasn't nearly enough. The need to touch her, to _feel_ her, was getting harder to resist with each moment, and to Carver's relief, Megan seemed just as eager as he was. Grinding hard against her, he kissed her again, trying to sneak a hand under her shirt, but just then, the scandalized meow of Mrs Norris drove them apart.

"Shit." Megan was breathing heavily. "Blasted cat."

Quickly, she rearranged her clothes into some semblance of order, and then took him by the hand, leading him to a bench, where she sat down demurely at his side. When Filch passed them only moments later, the old caretaker threw them a suspicious glance, but, much to his disappointment, found nothing to criticize.

Cursing under his breath, Carver watched him shuffle away, willing his arousal to subside at least a little. "So… how was New Year's Eve? Did you have fun in London?"

"It was nice." Much to his surprise, Megan didn't seem eager to elaborate further. "Damn it, what are we going to do? If the weather doesn't let up soon, I'm going to go mad."

"Me, too." He nodded fervently.

They really needed a chance to be alone again, but with Hogwarts all snowed in, the Quidditch shed was off limits. Even if they'd been able to make it down there, it was bound to be freezing cold inside, no matter how many heating charms they cast.

"Let me think." Thoughtfully, Megan chewed her lip. She looked all kinds of adorable, and it took all his control not to grab her and kiss her again. "Yes. The prefects' bathroom!"

"The what-" Carver had never heard of such a place before. Revon had never mentioned it, and he himself had never even been considered as a prefect.

"But of course." Megan was grinning now. "It's ideal. Listen…"

Carver listened with growing fascination as she described the location to him ( _fifth floor, near the statue of Boris the Bewildered_ , whoever that was) and told him to meet her there two days from now.

"Just wait. You're going to love it." Getting to her feet, she breathed a quick kiss against his cheek. "Think you can wait till then?"

"I don't have a choice, do I?" Carver already knew he would wear his hand out thinking of her every night until Wednesday. But at least now he had something to look forward to. "Night, Meg."

"Night." She was already halfway down the corridor. "See you tomorrow."

Somehow the days passed, and on Wednesday night, Carver followed Megan through an ordinary-looking door into a bathroom that was anything but.

"Merlin's balls." He whistled softly through his teeth. "Guess now I know why everybody wants to be a prefect."

"Yup." Megan was grinning happily, already fiddling with the faucets surrounding the huge pool in the floor. "Wicked, don't you think?"

"Absolutely." Nervously, Carver cast a glance at the painting of a sleeping mermaid on the wall. "But are you sure it's a good idea to take me here? I mean, if anybody finds out-"

"Why would they?" Megan shrugged. "Come on. Let's get naked."

"Naked. Right." Carver swallowed briefly, but Megan was already taking off her clothes, and the view was distracting, to say the least.

Moments later, she sank into the rapidly filling pool, sighing voluptuously as she stretched out in the warm water. And Merlin, she looked lovely, with her skin all rosy from the warmth and her breasts bobbing to the surface. Carver shrugged off his own clothes, but just as he took off his briefs, he froze in place.

"Oh." He cleared his throat. "Did that mermaid just wink at me?"

"Possibly." Megan grinned. "I'm sure she sneaks a look now and then. Wouldn't you?"

"Yes, but-" Suddenly, he felt terribly exposed. "If she sees us together, won't she-"

"Hey, relax." Megan had turned over now and was swimming toward him. "Even if she does, I'm sure she's seen worse. I mean, all the prefects use this bathroom, and most of them take their sweet time in here. You can't tell me all they ever do is take a bath."

"Good point," Carver muttered, but he still felt self-conscious. _This is weird._

* * *

Megan smiled at the sight of Carver, sitting gingerly on the edge of the basin as if he didn't dare to come in. It wasn't like him to be so worried about getting caught – usually he was far too busy getting her out of her clothes to waste much thought on their surroundings. But this time, he seemed genuinely unnerved. He was only half hard, too, which was definitely not the normal state of affairs. _Ah, well._ Megan was pretty sure she knew what to do about _that_.

Besides, there was something she had wanted to try for a while. She was quite good at getting Carver off with her hands by now, but she figured it was time to take things a little further now. Paddling over to him, she arranged herself between his thighs, running her soapy hands up his legs. He moaned at the feel of her hot, slippery body, and Megan's heart beat faster. _Just you wait._ Bending down, she placed a careful kiss on the very tip of his cock, then licked a long, firm stripe all along his length.

" _Megan_!" _Yup_. That did the trick. Carver's hips snapped straight up and his eyes actually rolled back in his head. And he was rock hard, just like that, hard and hot and lovely.

"Good?" Encouraged, she licked him again, with quick little flicks of her tongue this time, and he groaned deeply, clearly past words.

Megan decided to take that as a yes and she went on, taking her time to find out what he liked best, tracing every ridge and fold with her tongue. His skin tasted good, fresh and clean, and when she lapped up a drop of fluid leaking from his cock, it was pleasantly salty. Carver was watching her with large, feverish eyes, his hands clenched into fists, his whole body taut as a bowstring.

Megan alternated between licking and suckling, trying to find the perfect spots, the perfect amount of pressure and suction to drive him wild. And it was fun, more so than she had anticipated. As a matter of fact, she would have loved to experiment a little longer, but in the end, it didn't take long. Carver was clearly overwhelmed, and when she took him fully into her mouth, sucking him in as deep as she dared, he arched up high, his hands scrambling for purchase on the tiles.

Megan didn't have time to pull back before his taste filled her mouth, so she swallowed instinctively. It wasn't too bad, really, justsalty and a little bitter, so she stayed where she was, carefully suckling the last drop from him, until he had calmed down a little.

"You're crazy." The moment he had recovered, he slid into the water with her, pulling her close and kissing her hungrily.

And before she knew what was happening, his strong arms were lifting her out of the water, placing her just where he had sat moments before. With a quick glance up at her face, he spread her legs wide and then placed a tender kiss right between them.

"Oh yes." Megan gasped hard.

She hadn't really expected him to return the favour, but she certainly wasn't about to complain. And Carver seemed eager, enthusiastic even, his dark head completely buried between her thighs as he tasted her, moaning softly in undisguised delight. His grip on her was firm, and his tongue and lips were doing the most amazing things to her, soft and wet and slippery, so much better than anything she'd ever managed with her own hands. And if he was a little too impetuous once or twice, she didn't care, because already, she was floating on a cloud of pleasure, every fibre in her body yearning for more of this, just a tiny bit more.

When she came, she nearly blacked out with the force of it, and she was pretty sure she was screaming, but she was too far gone to care. All she knew was that she was buzzing all over, sweet and hot and wonderful, and she never wanted it to end.

They stayed a little longer afterwards, bathing, and relaxing, and then drying each other off. Megan was in no hurry to leave. It was so nice and warm in here, and Carver looked amazing in nothing but a towel wrapped around his waist. And the way he was looking at her, his dark brown eyes full of sincere adoration, made her heart beat faster, even as a sudden pang of remorse made her tense up. Really, she didn't deserve him. What on Earth had possessed her-

"Megan?" Carver sounded concerned. "Everything okay?"

"Yeah, of course." Quickly, she shook off her thoughts. "Everything's perfect."

And as she snuggled into his arms, listening to his heartbeat, she realized that it was true. Being here with him, feeling loved and safe and warm – it was perfect. _Just the way it should be._

* * *

 _Huggles and thanks to my lovely beta suilven! :)  
_


	5. Chapter 5

"I don't believe it!" Megan was beaming all over, staring at the letter her owl had just delivered. "They've accepted me!"

"Who has? What's going on?" Carver suddenly had a bad feeling about this. "I don't understand."

"The programme for gifted students at Beauxbatons. They offer a one-year course, above N.E.W.T. level, with a special focus on wandless and nonverbal magic. It's amazing." Megan sighed dreamily. "Just imagine – spending a whole year in the south of France, with the best teachers. I've been dreaming of this!"

"That's great." He forced himself to smile. "It's just… the south of France? You'll be gone for months, maybe the whole year."

"Yeah, there's that." Megan had the grace to look chastened. "But just think-"

"I'm going to miss you." Carver felt his stomach clench painfully at the mere thought of letting her go. "Can't you do a programme that's… not quite so far away?"

"But I want to go there." She looked mildly exasperated. "I've always wanted to go to France."

"Why France? But hey, that means all the lessons are in French, right?" Of course! Why hadn't he thought of this before? "You won't be able to follow them anyway."

But his hopes were dashed immediately. "Don't be silly." Megan shook her head. "My accent isn't really up to snuff any more, but my French is quite sufficient to keep up."

"You speak French?" Carver felt stupid. How come he hadn't known?

"Of course." Megan shrugged airily. "Fergus and I, we had a French tutor when we were kids. We're both fluent."

"A private tutor?" Carver had to swallow. His parents were wizards, too, but he and Revon had attended primary school in Lower Lothering, just like everyone else. "Wouldn't that have cost a fortune?"

Megan's face softened when she saw his expression. "Probably, yeah. But my mum insisted. Old wizarding family, keeping up our standards, blah, blah. And it's not like my parents are hurting for money." She smiled fondly. "It wasn't too bad. Mademoiselle Millefeuille was a darling, really."

"Right." Carver cleared his throat. "So, you'll be going there right after your exams."

"Definitely." Megan looked determined, but when she saw how dejected he was, she pulled him into a firm hug. "Carver. Don't be sad. We have a few more weeks until the end of the school year. And besides, I can come back for the holidays. Maybe even for the occasional weekend." She breathed a kiss on his cheek. "Hey. This doesn't change a thing. We always knew it was going to be difficult once I was done with school."

"Yeah. Maybe." He tried to smile. "Still…"

"Don't worry." Megan raised her chin. " Come on. Let's enjoy it while we can. And I'm sure it will all work out fine."

* * *

It was the most gorgeous summer evening Carver had ever seen, and when Megan signalled at him to stay after Quidditch practice, his heart beat faster. She was looking exceptionally lovely tonight, her cheeks rosy from the flying, and her hair glowing like burnished copper in the evening sun, and he couldn't wait to be alone with her.

Megan seemed to feel much the same. As soon as the others had left, she was kissing him eagerly and dragging him off to their hideout, trembling with excitement. Their clothes came off in a jiffy, and then she was in his arms, soft and warm and gorgeous.

They had become quite familiar with each other's bodies over the past few months, and there was very little left of their initial clumsiness and hesitation. Carver knew exactly how Megan liked to be touched, he knew how to draw out the pleasure for her, how to use his hands and mouth to make her scream and shiver.

Usually Megan was quite content to let him do what he wanted, trusting him to set the right pace, but tonight, when he buried his face between her thighs with a happy sigh, she pulled him back by his hair, shaking her head.

"Carver, no. Wait." She sounded… nervous, actually, enough to make him pause immediately.

"What's the matter? Anything wrong?" Surreptitiously, he wiped his mouth. It had certainly seemed as if she was enjoying herself.

"No, not at all." Merlin, she was _blushing_. Which was not a common occurrence with Megan. "I just…"

"What?" He sat back on his haunches, doing his best to ignore the insistent throbbing of his cock. "Tell me."

"I want something different this time." She sounded more confident now, and when she met his eyes, there was no hesitation in her gaze. "I want to sleep with you."

For a moment, Carver was lost for words. His brain simply blanked out, and he gasped hard. "You want… you mean, now? Here?"

"Yeah. Why not?" Megan gave him her most innocent look. "Don't you want to?"

"Of course I do." He felt his cheeks heat up. "You have no idea how much I do. It's just a little sudden. I mean, don't we need protection and all that?"

Megan shrugged. "I asked Orana to teach me a contraceptive spell. My brother's girlfriend," she elaborated, when she saw his confused expression. "On New Year's Eve. It's not that hard, really." Smiling serenely, she ran her hand down his stomach, wrapping it around his cock and drawing a rough gasp from him. "Please."

There was no way he could have said no at this point. Nodding shakily, Carver bent down to caress her again, suckling gently on her nipples until she arched into his mouth with a breathless moan.

"Merlin, yes. That feels so good." She sounded almost feverish, and Carver's heart was beating so hard that he thought his chest might explode.

Some part of him kept insisting that this was just a dream, but when he pushed his hand between her legs, she opened up willingly, and when he slid two fingers deep inside her, she clenched hard around them. And the mere thought of what was to come, his _cock_ surrounded by that tight heat, made him nearly black out.

But somehow, he kept control, and now he was between her legs, nudging carefully against her, afraid to hurt her even as every cell in his body was screaming at him to thrust. "Megan, please, I…" He exhaled slowly, forcing himself to wait until she was ready. "I need some help here. Can you-"

"Okay?" Megan shifted a little, spreading her legs even wider, and reached down to take hold of him, guiding him to the right place. And suddenly he was inside her, just an inch or two, but she was hot and wet and tight, and it was so much better than his fantasies.

"Oh sweet Merlin, this is…" Megan was panting hard, her eyes wide open, her lips trembling. "Don't stop."

"I won't." He almost laughed at the mere thought. Why would he ever want to stop when she felt so amazing around him? "Don't worry."

Slowly, he pulled back, and then he pushed back into her again, and this time the angle was better and he slid even deeper, impossibly deep inside her, as far as he could go. Megan cried out, closing her eyes, and he felt her nails dig deep into his back.

He was rapidly losing the ability to think clearly, but he had to tell her, now that they were so impossibly close, skin on skin, their bodies joined. "I love you. So much."

* * *

Megan nearly lost it at his words. She'd been overwhelmed anyway, buzzing all over with excitement at the realisation that they were really _doing_ it, that Carver was _inside_ her body. It was… strange, and more than a little scary, but she was determined not to let that stop her.

It had hurt the tiniest bit at first, because she'd been too tense, but he'd been so patient, giving her all the time she needed. Now he was really starting to move, and with a little effort she managed to let go. And suddenly, without warning, everything changed. Suddenly, he felt no longer intrusive, suddenly he just _fit_ , and she liked the way his cock felt inside her, hot and hard and hitting her in places she'd never felt before. Something was building inside her, something quite unlike the orgasms he'd given her before.

But before she could work out what was happening, Carver moaned and went taut all over, cursing vehemently. "Oh fuck, I can't-"

His hips snapped against her, the steady rhythm he'd set all but forgotten as he thrust hard and quick, once, twice, and then went limp. Instinctively, Megan pulled him into a tight embrace, kissing him deeply, and he whined into her mouth, clearly overcome.

When he finally pulled back, he looked a little sheepish. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be." Megan smiled at him.

She wasn't mad at him, not at all, though maybe a tiny bit disappointed. _But hey, we can try again, right?_ And Carver had been so sweet, and he looked so adorable, and her heart ached just from looking at him. And he'd said he loved her, and Merlin, had he been _serious_? _Shit_. Was this love, then? True love, the real thing, forever and ever? Every single one of Megan's inner alarms went off at the thought, but before she could think too much about her feelings, Carver was already pulling back.

"Let me make it up to you." He sounded slightly embarrassed, but determined.

It felt odd, when he slipped out of her, but she forgot about that immediately when his tongue found its way between her folds, licking her eagerly. She was still the tiniest bit sore, and it made her extra sensitive, every flick of his tongue stimulating her overwrought nerves to the point of pain. Megan whimpered and tried to wiggle away, and he got the hint, slowing down a little, his tongue light as a butterfly. That did the trick. Only moments later, she cried out as her climax washed over her, hot and sweet and incredibly intense. _Perfect_.

He pulled her into a soft embrace, and they stayed like that for a while, cuddling and relaxing, until Carver finally cleared his throat. "Megan? I was wondering… Why now? Why tonight? Not that I'm complaining," he added quickly.

 _Because I wanted it to be you_. She didn't say the words aloud, though, well aware of what they implied: _Because I'm leaving soon, and maybe it will all be over, and I'll meet someone else, and I wanted it to be you._ "No particular reason," she said lightly. "I just wanted you. Couldn't wait. Are you happy?"

"The happiest I've ever been." He buried his face in her hair, inhaling her scent. "I love you."

"I love you, too." It wasn't a lie, she thought, not at all. She did care about him, very much. And yet…

There was so much to do, a whole world outside of Hogwarts to explore, and she hadn't even started. There was no way she could let herself get tied down right now. Not even for him.

* * *

The last few weeks of the school year flew by like a seeker doing the Wronski Feint. Later, Carver would be unable to remember any details – to him, it had all turned into a wild rush of Quidditch, parties and sex. There were exams to prepare for, of course, and somehow, he managed not to fail them all, but he really only lived for the evenings, when Megan and he snuck off for some much-needed stress relief.

Now that they had taken the leap, Megan was eager to explore all kinds of things she'd only read about, and Carver was more than ready to try out the various positions she suggested. Megan loved to be on top, and he was fine with that, but secretly he liked it best when she let him take her from behind, on all fours, her back arching with pleasure as he thrust into her.

There was no need to stick to the shed any more either. Now that the weather was warmer, they were free to roam the castle grounds and find other hidden spots. They made love behind the greenhouses, in the boathouse, under the stands of the Quidditch Pitch, and, on one memorable occasion, on top of the Astronomy Tower at night, with the stars shining brightly above them.

Carver loved it all, and if it had been up to him, life could have stayed like this forever. But at the same time, he kept feeling that it was too good to be true. There were moments when Megan was absent-minded, staring off into space, and some small part of him, deep inside, knew what that meant. But then she'd smile at him again and kiss him, and he told himself once more that he was being silly.

Still, when the blow finally came, he wasn't surprised, not even a little. To him, it seemed natural, inevitable even. How could he ever have expected such happiness to last? That simply wasn't how life worked for Carver Hawke.

She told him at the years' end celebrations, right after the big dinner in the hall. "There's just no point. We'll be so far apart, and I just don't think it will work. You do understand, do you?"

"Yeah, sure." He did his best to sound calm and collected, but he couldn't bring himself to meet her eyes. It hurt too much. "I'll be fine."

"I'm sorry." Megan sounded as if she meant it, at least. "Are you sure you-"

"I'll be fine, really." Carver watched her walk away, feeling empty and tired and alone. _Eventually_.

* * *

 _Huggles and thanks to my lovely beta suilven. And apologies for the delay in posting - now that the summer's over, I'll do better, I promise.  
_


	6. Chapter 6

"Do you think we've got enough punch?" Megan carefully stirred the deep purple mixture in the bowl.

"I should think so, yes." Anders was leaning against the doorframe, looking perfectly relaxed. "Don't be nervous, Meg."

"I'm not _nervous_." She glared at him. "Just trying to make sure we didn't forget anything. I want everyone to have a good time."

"It's going to be one hell of a housewarming party." Anders grinned. "Besides, everyone will be so happy to have you back in England again that they won't care if you serve them nothing but gillywater."

"Ugh." Megan made a face at the mere thought. "Anyway, thanks for your help. I don't think I could have managed without- Ah, here they are."

The little bell above the fireplace in the living room was ringing frantically, announcing the arrival of the first guests. Megan glanced around the room to check if everything was in place. The flat still looked a bit drab, with no pictures on the walls, and no curtains on the windows, but hey, she had only moved in a month ago, and those things took time, didn't they? Besides, after spending two years in various forms of student accommodation, having so much space all to herself took some getting used to.

"Megan!" Fergus and his wife and son were the first guests, no surprises there.

But Megan did a double take when she saw a fourth person emerge from the fireplace. Tall, dark, a distinctive nose… Could it be-

"I hope you didn't mind that I brought an extra guest, Meg." Fergus' smile was far too guileless to be true. "I ran into Nate in Diagon Alley this morning, and I invited him along."

"Oh." Megan swallowed hard when Nathaniel raised himself to his full length, brushing off his sleeves. "No, of course I don't mind. Good to see you, Nate."

For a heartbeat, as their eyes met, she held her breath, wondering if the old feelings were gone, if she had somehow remembered him differently than he really was. But that lasted only seconds.

"Megan. Good to see you, too." Oh Merlin, his _voice_. The raspy tones were _exactly_ as she'd remembered them, and just like back then, they went straight to her core.

He _had_ changed in other ways, of course. His shoulders were a little wider maybe, his stubble darker, his eyes wearier. But that only made him more attractive. And when he took her hand, his eyes still locked with hers, it took all her control not to moan.

"Ahem." Next to her, Fergus cleared his throat. "Careful. This is my little sister you're making eyes at, remember."

Megan didn't even make an effort to hide her eyeroll. "Really, Fergus? Shove off. If you're trying to defend my virtue, you're too late anyway."

"Not listening!" Blocking his ears with both hands, Fergus followed his wife and son to the buffet table in the kitchen. "I don't want to hear anything about your continental adventures."

Alone with Nate, Megan felt a sudden rush of self-consciousness. What if he-

"Adventures, eh?" He was smiling, looking not at all put out. "Now I'm curious."

Megan shrugged. "Fergus was just being an ass. But yeah…" Suddenly feeling emboldened, she moved closer, wrapping both arms loosely around his neck. "I'm not a schoolgirl any more, you know."

"I can tell." His voice seemed to have dropped another octave, and Merlin, was it hot in here? Megan licked her lip, half expecting him to kiss her right now.

But already the bell was beginning to ring again, and the moment was past. Taking a step back, Megan inhaled deeply. "Would you like to stay around, once all the guests are gone? Have a cup of tea, maybe?" She smiled her most innocent smile.

"I think I'd like that." His lips twitched in response. "Very much."

As she turned to greet Velanna, Megan was acutely aware of Nate's presence in the room, his eyes on her back, the low rumble of his voice at the edge of her hearing. Her head felt woozy and her heart was racing. Really, she had no idea how she was supposed to get through the evening.

But then more people arrived, demanding her attention, asking questions about her travels and bringing her up to speed on the latest gossip, and she got distracted. Still, all through the evening she found her eyes wandering, looking out for Nate's familiar silhouette.

"What are you looking at?" Anders sounded slightly drunk. "Hey, Nate Howe is back? Wasn't he in Bulgaria, or Romania, or something, for some kind of elite auror training? He's looking good."

"Wait a minute." Megan frowned. "How do _you_ know Nate?"

"Ah." Anders visibly sobered up. "I never mentioned that, did I? We met in a Muggle bar, not far from here, actually. That was right after school, when you had just left for France. Anyway, I thought he looked familiar and so I went over to talk to him, and… Well, we ended up spending a few nights together. Nothing serious, but he really knew what he was doing. That was before Kris and I got together, of course." He smiled fondly at his current boyfriend who was busy dancing at the other end of the room.

Megan nodded, uncertain of what to make of this new revelation. Then again, what had Anders said? _He knew what he was doing._ That was kind of hot, wasn't it? And really, she had no room to be jealous. Shaking off her thoughts, she returned her attention to the party. There was music and dancing, and punch, and old jokes and stories about their teachers, and before she knew it, it was long past midnight and the first guests began to leave. Anders was the last one to step into the floo, with his arms around Kris' waist and a dreamy smile on his face.

When she turned around, she found herself once again facing Nate. The room was suddenly quiet, really quiet, and the air between them was practically crackling.

"So…" Megan ran both hands through her damp, tousled hair, smiling tentatively at him. "Do you really want a cup of tea?"

"Depends." He wasn't smiling, but his eyes were like a caress on her skin. "Anything else that's on offer?"

Megan held her breath, allowing the tension to grow a little more. Nate hadn't touched her yet, had done nothing but stand there and look at her, but his expression made her all hot and tingly inside. Merlin, but she _wanted_ him.

Slowly, she tilted her head back a little. "How about a kiss?" Her voice nearly failed her.

Nate made a curious little noise in the back of his throat and took one step forward. "Just one kiss?" His hand settled on the back of her neck, pulling her closer, so close that their lips were nearly touching.

Megan nearly moaned aloud. "No." She wet her lips with her tongue. "As many as you want."

"Yeah?" His hand was so _warm_ on her skin, and he was tense all over, as if his control was hanging by a thread, but he was still holding back. "And what if I want more than just kisses?"

This time, she actually _whined_. "Damn it, Nate." Burying her hand in his hair, she closed the distance between them, whispering against his lips. "Make love to me. You know you want to."

"Merlin, yes." And then he was kissing her, finally kissing her, and Megan was pretty sure time stood still for a moment.

His lips were a little chapped, and he _smelled_ so good, and tasted even better, and his body felt amazing, all hard and lean and taut. Her whole body responded to him immediately, just like the last time they'd kissed, and she was panting hard by the time he paused for air.

"You…" He, too, was breathing hard, and he seemed unable to form a coherent sentence. "Damn it, you-"

"Shhh." Instinctively, she silenced him with another kiss, and this time, he moaned onto her mouth, as if he simply couldn't stop himself. "Nate, please. I need you."

Grabbing his hand, she moulded it around her breast, letting him feel how aroused she was already, her nipples hard as pebbles and so oversensitive that his mere touch made her whimper. When he gently rolled one of them between his fingertips, it felt so good she thought she would die. And Merlin, they hadn't even started undressing yet!

As if he'd read her thoughts, Nate tugged impatiently at her shirt seam, and she eagerly complied, wiggling out of the garment as fast as she could. She was naked underneath, and when he saw her breasts, he made a small, hungry noise.

"So beautiful." His fingers traced a slow line down from her throat. "May I?"

She nodded, unable to speak, and moments later, his hands were cupping her bare breasts, rough callouses teasing her nipples, warm and strong and perfect.

"Bed?" She hardly recognised her own voice, so shaky, so rough with need.

"What's the rush?" Grinning, he dropped to his knees before her and, steadying her with both hands on the back of her thighs, buried his face in her lap, breathing a kiss on her throbbing core.

It was so overwhelming, even through her clothes, that she actually cried out, clinging to his shoulders for balance. "Nate! Quit playing."

"As you wish." His eyes turned impossibly dark, and he got to his feet again in one smooth motion.

Before she could fully process what was happening, he had picked her up bodily from the floor, lifting her as easily as if she weighed nothing at all. A few quick steps took them to her bedroom. Megan's heart was beating hard and fast, and when he carefully lowered her down onto the sheets, and then took a step back to throw off his clothes, she whined at the loss of contact, writhing impatiently.

And then he was back, naked and magnificently hard, and clearly past being patient. Her remaining clothes came off, his mouth found her breasts, and his hand slid up her thigh, going straight for the kill. Megan arched into his touch, begging with her whole body for more, and he laughed breathlessly. "Yes?"

"Oh yes. Please." Megan couldn't wait a moment longer.

His fingers slid deep inside her, because she was wet, sopping wet, so eager for him that she would have been embarrassed, if she'd had any thought to spare for it. Nate cursed under his breath, shivering all over. Megan spread her legs wide, inviting him in, but he shook his head and lay back, pulling her with him so she was straddling him.

"Go on. I'm all yours." The strain in his voice belied the flippancy of his words.

And Megan didn't have to be asked twice. Taking hold of his cock, she paused for the barest moment to appreciate him, long and thick and hard in her grip, his skin silky smooth and hot, before she carefully positioned herself. And then she slid down, inch by inch, relishing every second of him filling her.

Nate was watching her all the time, drinking in her reactions. And he kept perfectly still until she was fully settled, allowing her to set the pace, to be in charge of this. Only when she started to roll her hips did he begin to move as well.

His first slow thrust took her breath away, and Megan didn't even know why. After all, it wasn't as if she hadn't done this before. But being here, with him, with _Nate_ deep inside her, his hands on her hips, his eyes watching her every reaction… that was quite unlike anything she'd ever felt before. So close, so _deep_ , so intense, and their bodies fit so perfectly, almost as if they'd been made for each other.

 _Oh, please._ This was beginning to sound like a cheesy romance novel. Shaking the thought off, Megan swivelled her hips in a perfect circle, bearing down on him as fast as she dared. "Harder. More." He complied with a stifled groan, and yes, that was better. Quick, rough thrusts that left her no time to think, no time to feel anything beyond pleasure, beyond the need for release. _More_.

* * *

Nate lost himself in Megan's eyes, in the feel of her body surrounding him, the sound of her moans filling his ears. Finally he got to have her, after all this time, and it was hot and exciting, and also, strangely and inexplicably, a bit like coming home.

When he'd spotted Fergus in the crowd this afternoon, he'd been happy to see his old friend again, but he'd certainly not expected his evening to end like this. He'd lost sight of Megan after she had left for France, and then he himself had been gone for almost two years, on various assignments and training courses all over Europe. Still, he hadn't quite been able to forget her.

And here she was, riding him hard, her breathless voice urging him on, as she moved with sinuous grace on top of him. Clearly, she knew exactly what she wanted and needed, and she wasn't shy about letting him know either. And that was hot, insanely hot, more than he had anticipated. _Not a schoolgirl any more, indeed._ He would have to find a way to make her tell him more about those _continental adventures_ Fergus had mentioned.

The mere thought made him shiver all over, pushing him perilously close to the edge, and he realised he wouldn't be able to hold on much longer. "Megan?" Placing one hand on her mound, he caught her gaze. "Show me."

She made a small, helpless noise, and then her hand was on his, guiding him, and moments later he felt her come, moaning and trembling and tightening around him until he had no choice but to follow her. His orgasm hit him so hard that he almost screamed. _Merlin's balls. What is she doing to me?_

Megan snuggled up at his side afterwards, and she felt good, warm and soft. "Well." She sounded happy and sated. "That was exactly what I thought it would be."

He made a face, pretending to misunderstand her. "Hey, now I'm worried. Could you be a bit more specific, please?"

"Oh stop it!" She boxed him softly in the ribs. "Mind-blowing? Overwhelming? You know damn well it was great."

"It was for me." He breathed a soft kiss on her hair. "Thank you."

"You, too." Megan yawned. "So… How was Romania?"

"Not bad. I definitely had a lot of fun there." Nate grinned. That dragon keeper had been quite the firecracker. He'd always had a thing for redheads. But it was probably best not to go into too many details, not before he knew how Megan would react to so much candour. "What about you? The last time we met you were still dating that cute guy at school, right?"

"Carver. Yes." To his surprise, a shadow hushed over her face. "He was a sweetheart. And I… I didn't treat him very well, I guess." She chewed her lip, and her look of regret was utterly sincere. "I wish- But hey, that's over. Water under the bridge and all that." Her smile was back in place. "Now, let me show you something I learned in France…"

* * *

 _Huggles and thanks to my awesome beta suilven :)  
_


	7. Chapter 7

Peaches had cancelled their date at the last possible moment. Her owl had arrived the moment Carver had been about to apparate to Diagon Alley, and he'd been so frustrated that he'd decided to go anyway. Even the Leaky Cauldron was better than sitting alone at home, racking his head about why she had left him out in the rain like this. Carver had a sneaking suspicion that Revon was behind the whole thing, and that the two of them were somewhere together now, laughing about him behind his back. Ah, well. It didn't matter. She wasn't really his type anyway.

Just as he was about to finish his firewhisky, a large party came in and settled noisily at the neighbouring table. A mixed group, about his own age or a little older, all of them well dressed, the couples holding hands and laughing together. _Great. One more reason to get out of here._ He was about to get up and leave when the sound of a familiar laugh made him freeze in place.

Slowly turning his head, he took a closer look at the party-goers. The moment he spotted her, his chest contracted painfully. _Megan_.

He had been so sure he was well and truly over her, after all this time. Yet, seeing her there, smiling that sweet, sassy smile he remembered so well, with her head against her date's broad shoulder… And that had to be Nathaniel Howe, surely – his profile was unmistakable, and Carver had never forgotten his appearance at Hogwarts. So Megan was with _him_ now, and Merlin, it hurt, just as much as it had back when she'd told Carver it was all over.

Carver didn't really know why he stayed, maybe out of curiosity, maybe from a perverse desire to torment himself. He really should have gotten out the moment he saw her. There was no way of telling whether she'd noticed him at all, what with all the shouting and laughing going on at her table, and he wasn't even sure he wanted her to. Probably not.

Carver was still staring morosely into space when someone dropped into the chair next to him. Looking up, he found himself looking straight into a face that was familiar if not exactly welcome.

"Hey, Carver. Nice to meet you. I'm Nate." Nathaniel Howe seemed perfectly at ease as he took a deep draught of his butter beer.

His relaxed attitude only served to make Carver feel even more sullen than usual. "I know who you are." Realising how hostile he sounded, he made an effort to be civil. "Nice to meet you, too. But how come you know my name?"

"Meg talks about you a lot." Howe tilted his head in the direction of the other table, where Megan was laughing at someone's joke, her head thrown back to bare the perfect curve of her throat. "Seems she has fond memories."

"Yeah, well…" Carver laughed without a trace of humour. "So do I. Mostly."

Howe didn't reply straight away, just watched him carefully.

"Anyway, if she has such _fond memories_ , why can't she come over herself to say hello?" Carver blurted out, regretting his words the moment they left his lips.

"She wasn't sure you'd be okay with that." Howe's hoarse voice was unexpectedly gentle. "Would you?"

"I don't know," Carver admitted after an awkward pause. "It's… weird to see her again."

"Of course it is." Howe kept looking at him, and his scrutiny made Carver shift uncomfortably in his seat. "Are you still mad at her, then?"

"Look, I don't mean to be rude, but…" Carver had never been comfortable talking about his feelings, and anyway, this was going a step too far. "I don't see how this is any of your business."

"It isn't. But Megan still cares about you." Howe remained infuriatingly calm. "Well. Are you?"

His rage abated as quickly as it had flared up. _She still cares about you._ Against his will, Carver was intrigued. "No," he admitted. "Not really. We were both far too young."

A quick smile flit over Howe's dark face, but it was gone in a heartbeat. "Are you seeing someone?"

Carver's throat felt suddenly far too tight. Involuntarily, he glanced at Megan. She was talking animatedly to the girl on her right, and the mere sight of her made his heart ache. "No. No one right now." There had been others, of course. He'd just never had much success with making a relationship last.

"I see." Howe was _still_ watching him, damn it, like a predator watching its prey. "You still want her."

It wasn't a question, and Carver felt his cheeks heat up. _Am I that obvious?_ "Look, even if I do… She's with you now, right? No need to rub it in."

"Hey!" Howe placed a calming hand on his bare arm, and against his will, Carver shivered. "I'm sorry. That's not what I meant to do at all. I just… Look, do you want to come over and have dinner with us tomorrow? Megan's been missing you."

"Has she? Well, that's too bad." Carver made an attempt to get to his feet, but Howe's firm grip easily held him in place.

"Will you listen?" He didn't sound angry, more like… amused? "Just a dinner among friends. We can talk, have a glass of wine. And maybe…"

"Maybe what?" Carver felt his pulse speed up. Howe couldn't possibly be suggesting-

"Well, that's up to you, I guess. I'll send you an owl with Meg's new address." With a wide grin, Howe got to his feet, finally letting go of Carver's arm. "See you tomorrow at seven?"

"Yeah. Maybe." Rubbing his wrist, Carver watched him return to his table. His skin was tingling, and he told himself it was just because Howe had held him so tightly. But if he was really honest, he already missed the warmth of the other man's skin. _Merlin's balls!_ He cursed under his breath. _What was this all about?_

* * *

"You did _what_?" Megan didn't bother to keep her voice down.

"I invited him for dinner." Nate's tone was infuriatingly calm and rational, but she was sure he was hiding a smirk. "Tomorrow, at seven."

"Yeah, I heard it the first time." Megan shook her head in disbelief. "But _why_?"

"Well, he used to be in Hufflepuff, right?" He was grinning openly now. "Which means the way to his heart is through his stomach. Thus, dinner. Don't worry, we can order in, if you don't trust my cooking."

"That's not what I meant!" Megan was beginning to get angry. "I've no complaints about your cooking. But we're not just talking about dinner here, right? I mean, clearly you've got plans. And I… Why are you doing this? What's the point?"

Within a heartbeat, Nate's expression turned serious as he reached out to pull her into a loose embrace. "The point? Look, Meg, I'm neither blind nor stupid. I've seen your face whenever you talk about him. And when we ran into him, earlier tonight, you went pale like a sheet and tense all over. You're still in love with him."

"That's-" One look at his face, at the calm, earnest look in his eyes, was enough to make her stop in her tracks. "Okay, fine, maybe a little. As I said, he's… he was a sweetheart. And nice to look at, too." And Merlin, if that wasn't the truth! It didn't help that from the looks of him, Carver still worked out regularly and was, if anything, even more muscular than he used to be. "But honestly, what's in it for you? I mean, I know you like to hear about my former lovers, but…" _Like_ was an understatement, actually. Nate really, _really_ enjoyed hearing about her affairs with others. And as a rule, Megan was happy to play along. But this was a different kettle of newts altogether.

"What's in it for me?" Nate shrugged. "If you're happy, I'm happy. And I bet he could make you very happy indeed. Besides, I'd love to watch you with him. And maybe…" His smile got wider. "Maybe more than that. As you said, he's hot."

 _Oh_. Megan felt a pleasant frisson. She hadn't quite looked at it this way, but of course he would. And yeah, if she was honest, she understood the appeal of watching. She wouldn't mind seeing the two guys get hot and heavy either. Provided of course…

"What if he's not interested?" She raised a doubtful eyebrow. "As far as I know, Carver's straight."

"We can work around that, if we have to." Again, Nate shrugged. "He doesn't even have to touch me, if he doesn't want to. But maybe he can be persuaded to experiment a little. Who knows?"

"So you wouldn't be jealous at all? You don't care who I'm sleeping with?" It gave her a little pang to realise that, if she was honest. Sure, they hadn't really talked about being exclusive, but they had spent most nights together for the past few months, and she had assumed-

"That's not… Look, let me explain." Nate shook his head. "I'm in love with you. I like what we've got together. And if you just went and slept with someone else, you bet I'd be jealous. Mad at you. Disappointed. And just for the record, I have no plans to cheat on you either. But…" He ran a hand through his dark hair, smoothing it back. "This is different. If we talk about it, agree to it, know our limits… I'd much rather be in control of this whole thing than have you pine for Carver all the time."

"I'm not _pining_." Megan threw him a dark look. Still, she had to admit he had a point. "Merlin, I'm going to regret this, won't I?"

"I don't think so." Nate was grinning widely. "And anyway, when has that ever stopped you?"

* * *

"A guard position at Gringotts? Really? But isn't it awfully hard for humans to be accepted by them?" Megan sounded awed, and Nate couldn't blame her. There was definitely more to Carver than met the eye.

"I didn't get in on my first attempt," Carver admitted with a shrug. "They weren't happy with my N.E.W.T results in Defence Against the Dark Arts, so I had to take remedial classes over the summer. And I still haven't fully completed my training yet, so they won't let me anywhere near the really dangerous stuff. But yeah… I thought it sounded interesting."

"It does." The look in Megan's eyes was almost a caress. "I'm impressed, you know."

Carver blushed, but he didn't reply at once. Instead, his own eyes lingered on her face, as if he couldn't tear himself away.

Nate had to hide a satisfied grin as he watched them. Megan had been so nervous before Carver's arrival, even if she would have died before admitting it to him. Still, she'd spent almost half an hour getting dressed and made up, a lot longer than usual. He was ready to admit the result had been worth the effort – she looked lovely in her short summer dress, her legs left enticingly bare. But yeah, definitively nervous.

Carver, too, had appeared tense and uncertain, when he'd stepped out of the floo, but his pretty brown eyes had lit up the moment he'd set sight on Megan. There had been a short, awkward pause, and then, at a little nudge from Nate, Megan had embraced Carver, whispering something in his ear that had put a smile on his face. And they had talked and laughed together ever since, barely noticing what they were eating as they devoured each other with their eyes. Nate mentally congratulated himself for having gone with a simple pasta dish – anything else would have been a waste.

He had made sure the wine was good, though, and he'd carefully kept tabs on the amount they were drinking. Just enough to make them relax a little, not enough to get them drunk. So far, everything was going exactly as planned, exactly as he'd hoped for. And Carver really was a nice guy, fun to talk to, if a little shy at first. Nate genuinely enjoyed his company, more than he had expected.

"Oh, Merlin, yes! I had forgotten all about _that_." Nate hadn't heard what Carver had said, being lost in his own thoughts, but Megan was laughing, and she looked flushed and happy, and utterly beautiful. _Irresistible_.

Carver was clearly thinking along the same lines, reaching out shyly to touch her cheek with one hand. "Meg…" He caught himself immediately, though, glancing guiltily at Nate.

 _No. That won't do._ Much as he enjoyed watching this little dance, Nate knew he had to give the two of them some space. But first… Getting to his feet, he bent down to kiss Megan, a long, sensual kiss that made her hum with pleasure. Carver made a small, embarrassed noise, but he didn't look away, and Nate smiled to himself.

"I'll get the dishes, shall I? And while I'm away…" He caught her lower lip between his teeth for a heartbeat, meeting her gaze. "Don't do anything I wouldn't do." _That should leave them some leeway._

As he walked off toward the kitchen, Nate forced himself not to look back. When he'd initiated this whole thing, it had seemed little more than a favour for Megan, with some kinky fun for himself thrown in, maybe. But for some reason, it had suddenly become important to him that Carver would agree to go through with it. Which was a fascinating development.

 _Ah, well._ He'd done all he could. The rest was up to Megan, and he was pretty sure she would get what she wanted. _Doesn't she always?_

* * *

 _All the hugs to my wonderful beta suilven.  
_


	8. Chapter 8

When Nate left the room, Megan held her breath, acutely aware of Carver's proximity. He was _here_ , right next to her, and she could feel the air buzz between them. The moment he'd touched her, the memories of all the times they'd made love had come back with a vividness that made her blush. And at the same time, she could still taste Nate on her lips, still feel the heat of his gaze. It was confusing, to say the least.

"I probably ought to leave." Carver cleared his throat, but he made no move to get up. "You and Nate…"

"You heard him." Megan's voice felt rough and scratchy. "I don't think he wants you gone. And neither do I." Gathering up her courage, she got up, rounded the table and without further ado, settled on his lap, straddling his strong thighs. "Stay. Please."

Carver groaned softly, and his arms closed around her reflexively, pulling her close. Giving him no time to think, Megan leaned in for a kiss. And the element of surprise did it. Before he could consider what he was doing, he was already kissing her, tasting her deeply, and Merlin, he was still just as hungry for her mouth as he'd always been. Grinding shamelessly against him, Megan lost herself in his kiss, in the urgent press of his arousal against her core. He was hard already, probably had been for a while, and he felt so good that she couldn't wait to get him out of his pants.

"Meg." When he let go of her lips, he had both hands on her breasts, warm even through the fabric of her dress, and she loved his touch, loved how large his palms were, loved the strength in his fingers. "I need … more, just-"

"Yeah. Me too." The dress was soft and stretchy, and with a little wiggling, she managed to pull it over her head, leaving her only in her panties.

"Still no bra then?" Carver was trying for an unaffected tone, but failing miserably. And his hands were trembling as they found her breasts again.

"I hate bras." Megan made a face. "They make me feel all trussed up, and not in a good way. Besides, you like this, don't you?"

"Oh, yes." His mouth locked around one nipple, and he was suckling eagerly, with so much enthusiasm that Megan had to bite back a cry.

Carver had always adored her breasts, she recalled. They were a bit bigger now, fuller and rounder, but he clearly didn't mind. Teasing one nipple with his teeth, he caressed the other one with his fingers, until she mewled in his arms.

And speaking of arms… "Off," she demanded, tugging on his shirt, and Carver complied with a smile, pulling the offending garment over his head and baring his body.

Involuntarily, Megan swallowed hard. Carver at seventeen had been unusually fit, with strong, well-muscled arms and a flat, taut stomach. Carver _now_ , no longer a teenager but fully grown, was something else altogether. His arms and shoulders were massive, and his stomach rippled with muscles. His skin was smooth and golden all over, unlike Nate's hairy chest, and she wondered briefly if he shaved or waxed it. Either way, she felt tiny in comparison to him, tiny and pale.

"Still into Quidditch then?" she echoed his earlier remark, running her hand admiringly along his biceps.

"Not so much nowadays," he admitted. "But I do try to keep fit."

"Mhmm." Megan wasn't really up for a more eloquent statement, because now he was pulling her close again, so they were skin to skin, her bare breasts pressed against him, and it felt so good! One of his hands had begun to wander up her thigh, far too slowly for her taste, and she was just about ready to beg for more.

"Now, that looks much better." At the sound of Nate's voice, Carver froze in motion, and Megan twisted her head around to see him.

He was standing in the doorway, seemingly calm and collected, but the tense line of his shoulders gave him away. He must have been watching them for some time already, and his eyes were burning on her naked skin, so tangible that she wondered why she hadn't noticed him earlier. It was obvious how much the whole scenario turned him on, and if she was honest, Megan felt much the same.

Carver hadn't moved again, though, and that wouldn't do. Slowly, she rolled her hips against him, and yes, his body still was very much on board with what they were doing. Instinctively, she looked to Nate for help.

"Don't stop on my account." Closing the distance between them, Nate kissed Megan, quick and hard, then reached out and placed one hand lightly on Carver's neck. "You're so hot. Both of you." Holding Carver's gaze, he gently tilted his head back. "May I?"

Much to Megan's surprise, Carver nodded dreamily, as if mesmerised by Nate's voice and eyes. Slowly, so as not to break the spell, Nate closed in, catching his mouth in a kiss. It started soft and sweet and tentative, but that lasted only moments. They both moaned and went taut all over, and there was a brief struggle for dominance, but then Carver yielded with a sigh, allowing Nate to take the lead. Megan watched in utter fascination as he deepened the kiss and Carver responded eagerly _._ She couldn't take her eyes off them, not even for a moment, and she was buzzing all over by the time they let go.

"Wait…" Carver's lips looked bruised and he was breathing faster. "I've never-"

"No worries." Nate's calm tone was a balm for Megan's overexcited nerves. "We've got all the time in the world to sort things out, right, Meg?"

She nodded silently, shivering when his fingertips brushed against her hard nipples. Merlin, but she _wanted_ this so much, wanted them both, here and now. And she would never forgive herself if she messed it up. "Carver. Please."

Carver must have heard the urgency in her voice, because now his mouth was back on hers, and this second kiss was just as good as the first, no, better, and she was so very aroused already.

"Bedroom?" she whispered against Carver's lips, when the kiss ended, and he nodded wordlessly.

They made their way to the bed in silence. Nate went first, throwing off his shirt and pants before stretching out on the bed, patting it invitingly. Megan followed suit, while Carver hesitated for a heartbeat. But then he, too, quickly took off his pants and joined them. All three of them were down to their underwear now, and Megan wouldn't have minded getting rid of her panties as well. They were clinging to her flesh, soaked to the point of discomfort and she couldn't wait any longer.

Fortunately, Nate seemed to read her thoughts. "Come here."

Pulling her between his legs, he made short work of the panties before arranging her in his lap, legs spread invitingly. "Well?" He grinned up at Carver who was watching them with large, feverish eyes. "Do you want her? Because I'm pretty sure she wants you."

* * *

Carver didn't claim to understand Nate's motives. Why the other man would be willing to share what he had with Megan, why he was so generous, even eager, was pretty much unfathomable to him. But he wasn't about to look a gift unicorn in the mouth. Last night, after his conversation with Nate, he had briefly entertained the possibility that Megan would still be interested in him. That had been exciting. And as a consequence, she had featured quite prominently in his nightly fantasies. But not even in his wildest dreams had he imagined that they would get to this point so quickly.

Seeing Megan like this, spread out shamelessly on the bed, waiting for him to take her… it did things to him he couldn't explain. And Nate was _offering_ her to him, damn it, like a particularly naughty present. Some part of Carver was telling him to hold back, to avoid getting hurt again, but there was simply no way he could resist such an invitation.

Taking a deep breath, Carver closed his eyes and quickly took off his boxers, intensely aware they were both watching him. His cock felt hot and heavy with desire, and he shivered when he felt the cool air on his bare skin. When he opened his eyes again, Nate was watching him, slowly licking his lips, and Carver couldn't help but think of the kiss they'd shared earlier.

 _That kiss._ He had never kissed another man before, though there had been a few instances when he'd been tempted. But Merlin, it had been such a thrill: Nate's rough stubble against his cheeks; his lips, so firm and demanding; his tongue playing with Carver's, teasing him, driving him wild… Suddenly Carver found himself imagining that mouth on his cock, lips stretched to accommodate his girth, tongue flicking against his flesh, and he actually _groaned._

"Well?" Nate repeated, and there was a mischievous twinkle in his eyes, as if he had read Carver's thoughts. "What are you waiting for?"

And he reached out, past Megan's prone body, wrapping his hand around Carver's cock and stroking him slowly. Just once, his touch light and gentle, but it was almost too much. Moaning, Carver brushed his hand aside and moved between Megan's legs, arranging himself carefully so he wouldn't smother her with his weight. The move took him close to Nate's face, close enough for another kiss, and he wanted it, wanted it so badly, but he had to keep his wits about him now, so he focussed on Megan.

She was looking up at him, her green eyes hazy with lust. "Please." Her voice was thick with need. "Damn it, Carver, _please._ "

He nodded shakily. "Yeah."

He held her gaze, unable to look away, while he slowly pushed inside her, revelling in the way her eyes widened, then fluttered shut the moment he was fully settled.

"Oh." She bit her lip hard, fingers entwined with Nate's, clinging to him as if he were a lifeline, and somehow that was the hottest thing Carver had ever seen.

Nate was holding her tight, whispering something in her ear that made her shudder all over, and Carver simply couldn't hold back any longer. Pulling back, he thrust inside her, hard and quick, and Megan responded with a stifled cry, clenching hard around him. His vision went white for a heartbeat, and it took all his control not to come right away.

"Shhh." Nate sounded almost amused, though he, too, was trembling. He was slowly stroking Megan's breasts with one hand, while the other had settled on Carver's flank, grounding him, anchoring him. "There. That's better."

Inhaling deeply, Carver tried again, more slowly this time, a deep, deliberate stroke that made her sigh. And then another, and another, harder, faster, and it felt so good, so mind-blowingly right. Megan's wet heat around him, Nate's rough voice urging him on… He had never felt anything like this.

"Meg, please, I…" He was so close already, and he knew she needed a little more, so he tried to pull back. But right then, Nate's hand slipped between them, caressing her, caressing them _both_ , damn it, his fingers, slick with Megan's juices, tightening briefly around him. And Carver just… fell. It felt like falling, like hurtling down a cliff, and he was only dimly aware of Megan's cries as she followed him. For what seemed like an eternity, he came, pulsing, throbbing, pouring himself inside her, and if he'd died right now, he wouldn't have cared, because it was so damn perfect.

When he returned to consciousness, Megan was in his arms, a blissful smile on her face, and Nate was still holding them both tightly.

"Merlin's balls." Nate sounded almost reverent. "If that was half as good as it looked from the outside…"

"Better." Megan's eyes opened just far enough to wink at him. "Right, Carver?"

Carver made a small, affirmative noise, unable to say more. It had just occurred to him that Nate hadn't come yet, and that his patience had to be wearing thin. Pulling back, he made Megan sit up a little to give Nate some space, and sure enough, he was still hard, his cock straining against his briefs, twitching with want.

"Meg?" There was an urgent edge in Nate's tone now, and it sent a shiver down Carver's spine. "Can you…"

Megan hummed softly in her throat, twisting around in his arms. She pulled off his briefs in one swift move, smiling when his cock sprang free. Carver felt a blush rise to his cheeks, but at the same time… "Let me help." The words left his lips before he knew it.

Nate groaned, and Megan raised a surprised eyebrow, but she willingly moved aside a little to give him access. Carver took a deep breath. _Merlin, this is crazy_. He started slowly, by running his hand up and down, and it was… odd, but in a good way, strange and exciting. Megan grinned up at him, placing a soft kiss on the tip of Nate's cock, and Carver _felt_ it, as if it had been himself.

Nate was panting hard, his hand on the back of Megan's head, fingers clenched in her hair. "Damn it, you…" He swallowed. "You're killing me. Both of you."

"Ah, but we haven't even started yet." Megan's smile was angelic. "Right, Carver?"

He was about to answer that she should stop tormenting Nate, but right then, she bent down again and sucked him right in, with a sigh of sheer enjoyment, and Carver automatically tightened his grip.

"Oh, damn it, Meg!" Nate bucked up hard, all pretence of control lost.

Megan pulled back, gasping for air, and without thinking, Carver took her place, wrapping his lips around Nate, holding his hips down with all his strength. And Nate _whined_ , whimpered an incoherent plea for _more, now, please._ Carver obliged, sucking hard, taking him in as deeply as he dared, twirling his tongue around overstimulated flesh. He still couldn't believe that he was actually doing this, but it felt real enough, Nate's salty taste in his mouth, his whole body taut with want. Megan had moved up to caress his nipples, but suddenly, she made a warning noise, nudging Carver's shoulder, and he had just enough presence of mind to pull back in time. He wasn't really up for swallowing yet, and besides, he needed to _see_. He wanted to watch Nate come, all over his chest and stomach, he didn't want to miss a moment of this. _So hot._

"Shit." When Nate opened his eyes again, he looked almost comically embarrassed. "What a mess. Let me…" Gingerly, he sat up. "I'll be back in a minute." He disappeared into the bathroom, leaving Carver alone with Megan.

She was perfectly relaxed, curled up against his side, as if she had never done anything else, but he found himself fidgeting nervously. He had just had the best sex of his life, true, but what now? What did it mean? And what was next?

"Megan?" Every fibre in his body was screaming at him to be quiet and leave things as they were, but at the same time he was determined to have this conversation now, before he got in too deep again. "We need to talk. About us. About Nate."

"What about him?" Megan ran a hand teasingly down his stomach, but he firmly caught it in his. _No distractions now_. "He likes you, you know. A lot." Her voice was brimming with innuendo.

"Yeah? Well, I like him, too." Against his will, Carver felt the corner of his mouth twitch. "Doesn't mean we… Oh, damn it. What I'm trying to say is… What do you want from me, you and Nate? Is this just fun and games for you? Because…" He swallowed, remembering the pain. "It isn't for me. It never was. And I need to know what happens now. Do you want me to just walk out and never come back?"

"Oh." Clearly, Megan hadn't wasted a thought on the future. "No! I mean, I would never…" She took a look at his face and sighed. "I don't know. Do we have to decide now?" Putting on her most winning pout, she wiggled against him, and his body immediately responded. "You know I'm bad at planning ahead."

"Maybe." It was tempting to give in, to let her have her way with him. Still, he kept a firm grip on her hand. "But I'm not a toy for the two of you to play with, Meg. I-"

"No, you aren't." Carver hadn't heard him return, but Nate was back, his face earnest and calm as he approached them.

Megan raised her head, as if she expected him to kiss her, but he hardly looked at her. All his focus was on Carver, and suddenly, there was a whole new kind of tension in the room.

"You aren't." Nate repeated, gaze still locked with Carver's. "I'm not sure where this is going yet, but…" He carefully cupped Carver's cheek with one hand. "It's definitely not just a game to me either. I want you, Carver. And not just for tonight." His grip tightened. "Will you stay the night?"

* * *

 _All the hugs to my wonderful and awesome beta suilven.  
_


	9. Chapter 9

When Nate woke up, the sun was shining through a gap in the curtains, and the room was quiet and warm. Next to him, Megan was still fast asleep. Carver was nowhere to be seen, but the aroma of coffee wafting through the flat was irresistible.

Taking care not to wake Megan, he got out of bed and put on a pair of pyjama pants. Following his nose, he headed for the kitchen, pausing in the doorway to take in the view. Carver was standing at the sink, pouring milk into a steaming cup. He was naked save for his boxers, and the sight of him made Nate's throat go dry, even as he instinctively sucked in his own stomach. _Merlin! A body like his ought to be illegal!_

Just then, Carver turned to face him, blushing slightly. Which was a good look on him. "Hey. Would you like some coffee?"

"Yes, please." He sat down on one of the chairs, gratefully accepting the proffered mug. "Thank you." He took a deep sip, closing his eyes in bliss. "Mmhmm. Delicious. How did you do that?"

"I just made coffee." Carver shrugged. "No magic involved. Where's Meg? Still asleep?"

"Like a Hufflepuff." Nate grinned when he realised what he'd just said. "Oops, sorry. But yeah, she's completely out of it. Seems we've worn her out." Megan could be quite insatiable, but last night they'd taken turns fucking her until she'd finally begged them to stop. And that was definitely a feat he hadn't managed to achieve on his own so far. "You should be proud, you know." He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.

"You think?" Carver was smiling, but there was something strained in his expression that made Nate pause. Putting down his mug, he tried to catch Carver's eyes. "So… Are you okay with what happened last night?"

"I…" Carver hesitated. "I guess I am, yes. Just… confused, you know. I mean, up until yesterday I thought… I've always liked girls. And then you kissed me, and-" He broke off, looking sheepish.

Nate couldn't blame him. He remembered only too well how long it had taken him to work out the details of his own sexuality. _There should be a guidebook, really._ "Hey, it's okay." He took care to sound as warm and understanding as he could. "Just because you enjoyed what we did last night, doesn't mean you can't like girls. You do like Meg, don't you?"

" _Like_ isn't the word I'd use." Carver was actually smiling a little.

Nate smiled back. It was obvious how much Carver adored Megan, and he didn't mind. If anything, it made him feel more attracted to Carver than he already was. He was also rather relieved. He'd genuinely enjoyed their night together, and it would be such a pity if Carver freaked out about the whole thing now. "So you're good?"

"Yeah. Just knackered." Carver stretched with a long yawn, making the muscles in his stomach dance.

The sudden rush of desire made Nate nearly drop his mug, and he quickly put it aside. "Damn it, Carver!" When Carver looked at him in confusion, he tilted his head toward that perfect body, exhaling shakily. "You're not even doing it on purpose, right?"

"Doing what? Oh." Carver was blushing again. "No. Sorry. I guess you weren't joking last night, then. When you said you wanted me."

"I wasn't." Nate couldn't stop himself any longer. Reaching for Carver's waist, he pulled him between his legs, embracing him loosely. "Why would I?"

Carver shivered all over. "No idea. Its just… you're in love with Meg, too, right? Won't that become a problem eventually?"

Nate shrugged. It certainly was an unusual arrangement, but right now, it seemed very appealing. "Not unless we treat it as one, I guess. We'll just have to take it one step at a time. Now, stop worrying."

Slowly, he let his hand trail down Carver's chest, relishing the feel of hard muscle under his touch. It was tempting, oh so tempting, to just work his hand below the waistline of Carver's boxers to explore the intriguing bulge that he could make out through the fabric. But things were still far too new between them, so he forced himself to be patient.

"You know…" He breathed a soft kiss on Carver's stomach, pulling him closer. "I believe I still owe you a favour."

"What kind of- Oh." Carver was blushing again. "You mean…"

"Yeah." Merlin. There was no way he could stop himself any longer. "May I?" He hooked his fingers into the waistband, gazing up expectantly at Carver.

"Sure." Carver sounded calm, but he was trembling. "Feel free."

Taking a deep breath, Nate pulled down the boxers, moaning softly when they came off and Carver was laid bare. Such a lovely cock, thick and almost fully hard already, fairly begging to be touched. Slowly, savouring every moment, he took hold of Carver, running his hand up and down experimentally. Carver didn't make a noise, but he was staring down at him with single-minded focus.

"Damn it, Nate." His voice was rough. "You drive me crazy."

Nate hardly heard him. It was too perfect, sitting here, inhaling Carver's scent, that gorgeous cock just inches from his face. Taking a deep breath, he leaned forward and sucked him in as deeply as he could.

* * *

"Nate!" Carver almost lost it right there and then. He had expected a slow start, a few titillating licks maybe, but this… His fingers digging deep into the other man's shoulders, he held on for dear life, as Nate took him deep with an eagerness that made him shudder.

It felt so good, so right, so damn perfect, and Nate's mouth around him was so hot and wonderful, and at the same time he still couldn't believe what he was doing, what they were doing. Just then, Nate pulled back and winked at him, his hands sliding around to cup Carver's ass, kneading his flesh gently, and that, too, felt so _good_.

"Merlin, Nate. I-" Carver was completely lost for words. Nate was pushing him deeper, encouraging him to move, to fuck his mouth, and Carver _wanted_ it, wanted it so badly, even as he was afraid to be too pushy, too rough. He whined helplessly, unsure what to do.

Nate let go of him with a soft, popping noise, but only to take a deep breath and adjust the angle a little. "Don't worry." He laughed breathlessly. "I can take it." Then his mouth was back, and this time, Carver allowed himself to let go.

And Nate was true to his word, taking it all without flinching, his lips soft and warm and wet. It was glorious, wild and unrestrained, and within moments, Carver knew that he was too far gone to stop, so close already that it took only the lightest touch of Nate's fingers behind his balls to make him come. Babbling incoherently, he poured himself down Nate's throat, and he swallowed eagerly, suckling every tiny last drop from him, an expression of sheer bliss on his face.

"Holy hell." Carver was still panting by the time he opened his eyes again. "That was…"

"Utterly delicious." Megan's voice was thick with arousal. She was leaning against the doorframe, wearing nothing but Nate's wrinkled white shirt. It was big enough to go down to her thighs, but she hadn't bothered to button it, so it showed more than it covered. As she approached them, she licked her lips, like a cat that had tasted a particularly delicious pot of cream. "Merlin. Why is this so hot? I'm all wet, just from watching."

"Are you, now?" Nate was grinning openly. "And what do you suggest we do about it?"

"Oh, I don't know," Megan purred, inserting herself between them in one smooth move. "Any ideas?"

* * *

She hadn't exaggerated. Watching the two of them together, hearing them moan, had made her wet and horny, more so than any porn she'd ever seen. And now here she was, wedged between them, with Carver at her back, his half-hard cock nestling against her ass, his skin still damp from his orgasm. And Nate before her, running his hands all over her body, claiming her with an assurance that was utterly exciting.

"Meg." Pushing her legs apart, he slid a finger between her folds. "You're so hot."

Carver's hands came up to caress her breasts, playing with her nipples, and his mouth was hot on her throat. And Nate's loose pyjama pants did nothing to hide his erection. Following her gaze, he smiled, and then quickly got rid of them. And she almost mewled at the sight of him, hard and ready.

"Carver. Hold her for me." Nate was breathing hard, but his hands were steady as he hooked her left leg over Carver's arm. "Yes. Just like that."

Moments later, she felt the head of his cock brush against her heated flesh. "Okay?" The angle wasn't quite right, though, and he cursed under his breath.

Behind her, Carver made a small, impatient noise, and then Megan felt his other hand under her right thigh, lifting her bodily off the floor. She squealed in surprise, but he shushed her immediately. "Don't worry. I've got you."

And yes, now she could properly spread her legs, and Nate slid inside her in one smooth stroke, groaning deeply in his throat. And Merlin, it felt… She had never made love like this before, without any firm ground under her feet, and it felt precarious and slightly scary, but Carver wasn't even trembling. His body was a solid wall behind her, and he held her up with ease, leaving Nate free to move. And Nate made the best of it, long, deep thrusts that rocked her to the very core of her being, the feel of his cock inside her both familiar and slightly different, taking her toward her peak in record time.

She screamed when she came, and she screamed again when Nate went on regardless, keeping her on the crest of her orgasm for a few more precious strokes until he, too, let go with a stifled groan. Carver held her all the way through it until Nate pulled back; then he put her down gently, supporting her until her legs had stopped shaking.

"Wow." Eyes closed, Megan leaned back against his shoulder. "You know, guys, I could get used to this."

"Really?" Nate raised a sceptical eyebrow. "Be careful what you wish for. I think Carver is just about ready to go again."

"Are you?" She twisted around in Carver's arms, and sure enough, he was half hard against her stomach, but just as she was about to reach for him, his stomach gave an audible growl.

"Sorry. I need breakfast first." Carver sounded apologetic, but he was smiling, looking happy and relaxed. It did odd things to her heart to see him like this.

"Well, then." Megan placed a quick, regretful kiss on Carver's lips. "Let's see… There should be some bread in the cupboard, I believe."

* * *

"Merlin, Carver. I'm beginning to worry whether I can afford to feed you." Megan shook her head with an exaggerated sigh. "Are you always this hungry?"

Carver, who had just polished off his eighth slice of toast with honey, felt slightly guilty for a moment. "Not always, no. Just-"

"Stop teasing him, Meg." Nate chuckled softly. "It's no wonder he needs to stock up on calories after last night. Plus, it's your own fault for not having anything more substantial in the house. Now, move over. Let me eat in peace."

Since there were only two chairs, Megan had been perched on Nate's lap, with his arm around her waist to stop her from sliding off. She had long since finished her own meal, but he had waited patiently for Carver to finish. Now he gave her a gentle push, and she obediently left his lap for Carver's.

Curling up on his thighs, she made herself comfortable, shifting around until she was settled. _Like a cat_. Carver smiled at his own thought and buried his face in her tousled hair, deeply inhaling her scent. _Delicious_.

"You know, Megan…" Nate reached for the jam. "You really ought to get one more chair."

"You think?" Megan purred. "But I like it here. And I don't think Carver minds, do you?"

"Not at all." Instinctively, he tightened his grip around her. It was nice having her in his arms like this, warm and relaxed. More than nice.

"I'm just saying." There was a sly grin on Nate's face as he leant back in his chair, stretching his legs. "It might be a tad more comfortable in the long run, don't you think?"

Carver felt his heart speed up. "Does that mean-" He hardly dared finish the sentence. Clearing his throat awkwardly, he sat up a little straighter. "Does that mean you want me to come back?"

Nate met his gaze without flinching. "I told you. I want more than just one night. A lot more."

Feeling a blush rise to his cheek, Carver turned his attention to Megan. "And you?"

"Isn't that obvious?" Yawning luxuriantly, she stretched in his arms, twisting around to place a quick kiss on his cheek. "There's really nothing about this scenario that I don't like. Of course I want you to come back. I…" She hesitated, and when she spoke again, she sounded dead serious. "I don't want to lose you again, Carver. I want to be with you, and with Nate. I want you both."

"Oh." For a moment, he was lost for words. "But that's… What will people say?"

"No idea." Megan shrugged. "We don't have to tell them, if you don't want to. Though it would be easier. I'm not good at keeping secrets."

"Yeah, well. That's Gryffindors for you." Nate rolled his eyes, but he was smiling affectionately. "So… Are we good?" He got to his feet and came over to them, embracing both of them from behind.

"I guess." Carver nodded slowly. "But I have no idea how-"

"Me neither." Megan breathed another kiss on his lips. "But hey, we'll work something out. Would you-" She broke off, blushing slightly. "Would you like to come over tonight? After work? Because I don't think I can wait until the weekend."

Carver couldn't help but smile. It was nice to see her so eager. "Of course. How could I possibly resist?"

* * *

 _Huggles and thanks to my awesome beta suilven.  
_


	10. Chapter 10

The sun had just begun to set when Carver flooed in. He looked tired but happy, and Nate's heart skipped a beat when they embraced. He'd missed Carver, missed talking to him and laughing with him. He'd missed his shy smile, most of all, and the look in his dark eyes, both hopeful and wary.

"Hey." Carver glanced curiously around the cottage's living room, taking in the faded chintz sofa and the antique sideboard with a slightly doubtful air. "Nice-ish place."

"It's okay." Nate grinned. "Honestly, I'd expected worse."

The wizarding world hadn't quite got the hang of the concept of holiday homes yet. Most people still stayed with friends or in magical tents. So when Meg had suggested renting a cottage in Godric's Hollow for the bank holiday weekend, Nate had been sceptical, to say the least.

"Why Godric's Hollow, anyway? The place is tiny. Don't you think we'll get bored long before the weekend's over?" He simply hadn't seen the point. If they wanted to spend a weekend in bed, it was far less hassle to do that at home.

"You're kidding, right?" Megan had favoured him with her best incredulous stare. "We probably won't even manage to see all the sights in one weekend. There's the ruined Potter cottage, the haunted graveyard, Gryffindor's birthplace, Dumbledore's old home." She'd ticked them off one by one on her fingers. "They even have a new visitors' centre, with an exhibition about animagi. Oh, please, Nate. I remember when my parents used to take me to the Hollow. We always had so much fun."

"And I've never been there at all," Carver had added, looking melancholy. "What about you, Nate?"

"Certainly not." Nate had shuddered at the mere idea of what his father would have said, had he known that his eldest son was going on a _Potter Pilgrimage_ , of all things. He was probably spinning in his grave right now. But Megan had insisted, and she'd got her way, as usual.

So here they were. The cottage was old-fashioned but cozy, and they had a whole weekend together ahead of them. Carver was warm and solid in his arms, and Nate wasn't about to complain. Just then, Carver's stomach gave an audible growl.

"Any plans for dinner?" Carver smiled apologetically. "I had to skip lunch, and I'm starved."

"I was just about to get started. Would you like to help?" Without waiting for an answer, Nate led the way into the tiny kitchen. He had done some shopping on the way here, nothing fancy, just a few supermarket pies and some lettuce.

"Mmhmm, that looks nice." Carver was already fiddling with the oven controls. "Steak and ale pie – that's my favourite."

"Mine, too." Nate smiled affectionately down at Carver's dark head. "There's some chicken and mushroom for Meg, too. No idea why she hasn't showed up yet."

"Me neither." Carver straightened himself up to his full height and pointed at the window. "But that looks like her owl."

A tiny short eared owl was sitting on the window sill, pecking at the pane. "You're right. That's Chouette." Opening the window, Nate reached for the bird, flinching when her sharp little beak closed around his index finger. "Will you behave, you little devil? No treats for you if you keep biting." The owl tilted her head and gave him a singularly unimpressed stare while he untied the letter she was carrying. Quickly, he scanned it, then rolled his eyes. "Honestly, Meg?"

"What is it?" Stepping close behind him, Carver tried to read over his shoulder. "She's _babysitting_?"

"Yeah." Shaking his head, Nate put the letter down and turned to face Carver. "Apparently, she promised Fergus that she'd look after her nephew tonight, and then forgot all about it. And now she can't get out of it without pissing him off."

Carver reached for the letter. " _Don't wait up for me. I may be late_. Great." He sounded disappointed, and Nate couldn't blame him. They hadn't seen each other all week, and he had been looking forward to their reunion, too.

"Hey." He breathed a quick kiss on Carver's cheek. "We'll survive. Provided we get something to eat. Come on. I'm still hungry."

"Me, too." Carver was smiling again, and together, they returned to their dinner preparations.

When the last pie had been polished off – they had briefly considered leaving some for Megan, but hadn't been able to resist – Carver sat back with a pleased sigh, rubbing his stomach. "Merlin, Nate. If you keep feeding me so well, I'll end up like the Fat Friar."

"I fail to see any resemblance." Nate let his gaze travel down Carver's body with deliberate slowness, waiting for the inevitable blush. "You look fine to me. More than fine, actually."

Predictably, Carver's cheeks turned red. "Oh, stop it. Anyway…" As usual, when he was embarrassed, he tried to change the subject. "I'm really curious about the village. Just imagine: This is where it all began. Potter, Voldemort, the whole nine yards." He snorted. "It's funny, isn't it? The War wasn't really all that long ago, but it feels like ancient history."

"Not to me." Nate made a face. "I was there, you know. At the Battle of Hogwarts, and before, when the Carrows were in charge. Mind you, I was just a first-year then, and the older kids did their best to protect us, but it was still pretty damn awful. You guys were lucky you missed it."

"Were you, really?" Carver looked genuinely upset. " I'm sorry, I didn't think… I mean, even Revon started school one or two years after the Battle. By the time I got to Hogwarts, people hardly ever mentioned it any more."

"Revon's your brother, right?" Nate asked carefully. Carver rarely talked about his family, and he'd gathered that the brothers weren't on the best of terms.

"Yup. He was a Slytherin, too." Carver sounded… tense, and somehow unhappy. "Pretty popular, too. No idea why, to be honest. He could be quite an asshole. Do you remember him at all?"

"Not really." Nate vaguely recalled a handsome, sneering face and a pair of cool, dark eyes. "I never spent all that much time in the Slytherin common room. Most of the time, I was hanging around with Fergus. Besides…" He shrugged. "He must have been in my brother Tom's year, or younger. And Tom was just a baby then, as far as I was concerned."

"I don't think I ever met your brother either." Carver looked thoughtful "Do you have any other siblings?"

"A sister. But I don't see much of her." Nate suddenly felt bad. He hadn't thought about Delilah for ages. "She… she's a squib, and when she married a Muggle, my father made a huge scene, told her never to come back. Now he's gone, but-" He broke off, and Carver made small, non-committal noise. Nate was grateful he didn't ask further. "What about you? Any brothers or sisters, apart from Revon?"

"Well, technically I'm a twin." Carver didn't look at him. "Only, my sister was stillborn. So it's just me."

"Oh, damn it, Carver, I'm sorry." Nate could have slapped himself. The last thing he wanted was to bring up unhappy memories.

"It's okay." Carver's voice was trembling ever so slightly. "After all, I never knew her. But Mother never got over it. She'd wanted a girl so badly, and sometimes… Sometimes I think she was disappointed that I was the one who survived."

"Carver!" Nate couldn't believe his ears. _Of all the messed-up ideas …_ "But why would you even think-"

"Revon told me, more than once." Carver swallowed, twirling his glass around in one big hand, still not looking at Nate. "It seemed plausible."

"And it didn't occur to you that he was only messing with you? Merlin, but that guy really is an asshole." Nate was so mad he could hardly speak.

"Told you so." Carver shyly raised his eyes, and, much to Nate's relief, he was smiling again, even if it was a small, crooked smile. "You know, you would have been a much nicer big brother than Revon."

"You think?" Nate raised an eyebrow. "Well, thank you, I guess."

"I mean it." Carver reached out and took his hand, squeezing it briefly. "I… I really like you, Nate. It's not just the sex, you know."

"Same here." Slowly, he lifted Carver's hand to his mouth and breathed a kiss on it, grinning when a thought occurred to him. "Then again, it's just as well, don't you think? That I'm not your brother," he added, when Carver looked confused. "Because I don't know about you, but I…" Carefully, he traced a line across Carver's palm with the tip of his tongue. "I would really, really miss the sex. Wouldn't you?"

Carver's quick, hard gasp was answer enough.

"So…" Nate glanced at the window. It was pitch dark outside. "Megan's still not here. Think we should go to bed?"

"She told us not to wait up." Carver leaned back, stretching slowly, and this time, Nate was pretty sure he was doing it on purpose. He didn't mind. The view was amazing. "But I need a shower first."

"Bathroom's this way." Nate went ahead, smiling to himself. He had explored the cottage thoroughly before Carver's arrival, and he was rather looking forward to his reaction. He wasn't disappointed.

"Blimey!" Carver stopped in his tracks on the doorstep, his expression unreadable. "Well, that's …. different."

"Different is one way of putting it." Nate grinned. The bathroom had been painted a rich custard-yellow, with a frieze of painted marigolds running all around the walls. There was no actual shower in there. Instead, a huge claw-footed tub had been placed smack in the middle of the room under a shower rod emerging from the ceiling, with a pristine white curtain surrounding it on all sides. "On the bright side, there's room enough for two in there."

Their clothes came off as quickly as they could make them, and then they carefully climbed into the tub together. There was indeed plenty of room for both of them, and the water was nice and hot. Carver kept perfectly still while Nate soaped him up, his eyes wide and dark and his powerful body taut with anticipation. And he felt so good, with his skin all warm and slippery. Nate took his time, sliding his soapy hands all over him, enjoying every minute reaction.

By the time they got out of the tub, they were both more than half-hard, and Nate knew he couldn't wait much longer.

"Did you remember to bring any towels?" Carver turned and bent down to check the small cupboard under the sink, and Nate's heart nearly stopped. "Damn. Nothing here. Maybe in the bedroom…"

"Oh, bugger this." Nate murmured a quick drying spell under his breath and a brief gust of warm air surrounded them. Well, it felt like warm air. It wasn't, not really.

Carver cried out in surprise, but when he inspected his suddenly dry skin, he looked pleased. "Hey, that's neat. Do they teach that spell in auror training?"

"Not during the official part." Nate grinned suggestively. "But it does come in useful now and then."

Together, they headed over to the master bedroom. A huge, ancient looking four-poster dominated the room, but when Nate experimentally bounced up and down on the mattress, he found to his relief that it was new, or at least considerably newer than the bed. "Well, it seems Megan won't make it tonight." He patted the bed invitingly. "Come on in."

"Yeah." Carver sighed, curling up on his side of the bed. He had his back to Nate, and he was gazing longingly at the door. "Feels odd to go to bed without her."

"Hmmm." Nate embraced him from behind, pulling him close. "We'll just have to make the best of it, I guess." Carver's skin was soft and warm, and when Nate gently caressed his stomach, he could feel the muscles ripple under his skin. "So… any plans for tonight? What do you want to do?"

Carver took a while to reply, but he made no move to push Nate's hand away. On the contrary, he moved into his touch with all signs of enjoyment. When he finally spoke, his voice sounded low and gruff. "I want you. Inside me."

Nate held his breath, wondering if he'd heard right. He hadn't expected this, not tonight. He'd dreamed of it, of course, fantasized about it in glorious detail, as a matter of fact, but- "Are you sure?"

"Yeah." Carver twisted in his arms, so they could look at each other. "Mind you, I'm nervous as hell, but… You'll make it good, won't you?"

"You bet I will." Nate was giddy with excitement, but at the same time sincerely touched by Carver's trust. "Just leave it all to me and don't worry."

"You wouldn't happen to know a lubrication spell, too?" Carver was clearly doing his best to lighten the mood.

"I do, actually." Nate made a face. "But quite frankly, it tends to be a bit of a mess. Actually, this is one thing that I much prefer doing the Muggle way."

 _And I'm glad I came prepared._ Reaching for his bag, he dug around until he found the brand-new bottle of lube he'd brought, and a condom. "Close your eyes."

Carver obeyed, and when Nate ran a careful hand down his back, he shivered expectantly. And Nate _wanted_ him, so much that it was torture to take it slow. But this wasn't some quick fling. This was Carver, and he was worth a little patience. Besides, touching him, exploring that firm athletic body, was a delight in himself. By the time Nate slid a well-lubed fingertip inside him, Carver was moaning without restraint, opening up willingly. "You feel so good." Nate couldn't believe his luck. "Merlin, Carver, you are amazing."

* * *

" _Fucking_ finally!" Megan stepped out of the floo, making her way through the dimly lit room toward the staircase.

She was still mad at Fergus for making her spend the whole evening with a cranky toddler. Megan loved her brother, and she adored her nephew, but she'd been looking forward to this trip for weeks. Most of all, she was mad at herself, really, for mixing up the dates. But now she was here, and she was looking forward to her boys so much. She'd expected to find them still up, to be honest, and now she was a tad disappointed. Maybe they'd been tired. Nate had just returned from an assignment, after all, and Carver's job was pretty stressful. Still, it wasn't like them to turn in so early.

The cottage was small, and it didn't take her long to find the bedroom. A small sliver of light was visible underneath the door, and her mood improved immediately. They were still awake! Eagerly, she pushed the door open. "Hey guys! I'm- Oh!"

Of course she should have been expecting something like that. And she really had no objections to the two of them having fun without her. But the scene in front of her was both so sinfully exciting and so deeply intimate that she felt like an intruder: Carver, stretched out naked on the bed, his cock hard and weeping with desire. And Nate, cradling him from behind, his face earnestly focussed, as he thrust two fingers into his body at agonizingly slow speed. They both froze in motion at the sight of her, eyes wide with surprise.

"Oh damn, I'm sorry." Megan didn't want them to stop, not even for a moment. "I didn't mean to-"

"Meg. It's fine." Carver's eyes looked huge in the dim light, and he was panting so hard she could see his flanks rise and fall. "Come here."

Megan held her breath. "Really? I can leave the two of you alone, if you want."

"No!" Carver made a small, strangled noise, as Nate did _something_ with his hand. "I… I don't mind you watching."

Megan had to admit that sounded appealing, but when she threw a questioning glance at Nate, he shook his head decisively. "I've got a better idea." He moved back a little on the bed, without letting go of Carver. "Take off your clothes and lie down. There." He indicated the upper end of the bed with a tilt of his head.

 _Mmhmm, bossy Nate_. Megan complied with a pleased shiver, arranging herself on the sheets. She'd have bitten off her tongue before admitting it, but she _liked_ it when Nate got all assertive in bed. She looked at him expectantly. "What now?"

"Spread your legs." He was hardly looking at Megan. And now he took hold of Carver's cock with his other hand, whispering something in his ear. Megan couldn't make out the words, but it had to be something filthy, because Carver whined at his words, straining against his grip.

And Carver was on her, without a moment's hesitation, his mouth hot on her breasts, then her stomach, working his way downward with single-minded determination. Nate was close behind him, and he hadn't let go of him, not even for a moment. And Merlin, that was hot, insanely hot, better than anything she'd ever done before, though she was really no innocent.

Megan had no regrets about the other men she'd slept with over the years. They'd each been exciting in their own way: Duncan, dark and intense, with the added spice of guilt, because he was sleeping with a student; Zevran, gorgeous, talented Zevran, who had taught her so much about her body and her desires; and Riordan, too, even if she'd been too tipsy to remember much about the night they'd shared.

No, she didn't regret a thing, yet none of them had made her feel the way Carver and Nate did. Sure, part of it was the sheer novelty of having _two_ men in her bed, but that wasn't all. They were… special, in a way that she was hesitant to name, and…

Carver's mouth on her core drove all further thoughts from her mind. He dove in enthusiastically, spreading her wide, breathing in her scent, his tongue firm and warm against her flesh. Megan cried out, burying her fingers in his thick, dark hair, her whole body alive with pleasure. _Yes!_

Carver was shaking with want, and for the first time Megan knew why they called it 'eating someone out', because he seemed set on devouring her, lapping up her juices with an enthusiasm that was wholly irresistible. Whining helplessly, she abandoned herself completely to his caresses, to his tongue thrusting deep and hard inside her. And before she knew it, her orgasm hit her, hard and fast, so quickly that she felt a tinge of disappointment even as the pleasure raced through her body.

But it wasn't over. Pulling Carver back, Nate caught her gaze, while he spoke, his voice hoarse and raspy. "Now. Fuck her. She needs you."

Before Megan could process the words, Carver thrust hard inside her, as deep as he could go, and then again, and again, keeping her on the crest of her orgasm for what seemed like an eternity. And all the time Nate was looking at her, holding her gaze, until she couldn't bear it any longer and had to close her eyes, shutting out the world around her. _So hot. So damn good. So perfect._

* * *

Carver had been focussing so completely on Megan's pleasure that he'd barely noticed how Nate's caresses had gotten more insistent. Somewhere along the way, he'd completely lost the ability to think, to worry about what was to come, so when Nate finally slid inside him, he simply forgot to tense up.

And suddenly he was caught up between the two of them, and it was utterly overwhelming. So many sensations all at once: Nate inside him, stimulating him in places he'd never known existed, and at the same time Megan, hot and sweet and wet around him, familiar but still exciting.

He could barely move, but that didn't matter, because Nate was doing plenty enough moving for two, slowly at first, then faster and harder. And somehow, Carver managed to let go, to move with Nate's thrusts, driving him deeper and deeper into Megan's body. She was quiet, almost passive, probably still recovering from her orgasm, but she made no move to push him away, and Carver was grateful. It was so good, having them both, being surrounded by them on all sides, and he didn't want it to end.

But of course it did end. All too soon, he felt it, a tingle travelling up his spine, spreading all through his body like fiendfyre, scorching hot and completely unstoppable. One more thrust, one more rough gasp from Nate, and Carver came. He came with a shout, clenching around Nate, who responded with a guttural moan, fingers digging deep into Carver's flanks as he followed him without a moment's delay. Megan made a small noise, her fingers scrabbling against his chest for purchase, and Carver _sobbed_ once, utterly overcome, too far gone to even scream.

"Sweet Morgana." Megan was trembling all over when he pulled back, her pale skin flushed and damp with sweat. "That was-"

"I'm not done with you yet." Nate clearly wasn't in the mood for mercy. "Carver. Move aside."

That was definitely easier said than done, because all his muscles seemed to have turned to jelly. But somehow he managed, and then he just lay there, watching while Nate buried his head between Megan's thighs and took her to yet another shivering, screaming climax.

Later, when they'd managed a quick wash and sorted out their sleeping arrangements – Megan had claimed the place in the middle, safely ensconced between the two of them – Carver finally found the time to take stock of the situation. Megan looked like a cat who had swallowed a particularly juicy canary, happy and sated and completely relaxed. He himself felt a little sore, but good, so good, and he loved being here with the two of them, all huddled up together. But already the doubts were beginning to creep back in. Had it been good for Nate, too? Would he regret things later, in the morning, when-

"Carver?" Nate sounded lazy and replete. "You okay over there?"

"Never been better." He hesitated, but then he plucked up his courage. "And you? Do you… Was that all right?"

"A lot better than all right." Nate chuckled softly. "I'm too tired for poetry right now, but at the very least I'd go with pretty damn amazing."

"Really?" Carver was grateful for the darkness that hid his fiery blush. "Good. Because-"

"Hey." Yawning softly, Megan took hold of his arm, wrapping it tightly around her body. "I love you. Both of you. That's what matters, right?"

"I love you, too." Suddenly it all seemed easy. Pulling Megan closer, Carver felt his hand brush against Nate's warm body, and he smiled to himself in the darkness. _The only thing that matters._

 _* The end *  
_

* * *

 _And that's it, folks. Thank you all so much for reading and reviewing. And an extra special thank you to my wonderful beta suilven! You rock. :)_


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